NOT all Muslims are murderers.

That's the stark message from a former Labour borough councillor in the wake of the London bombings.

Bangladesh-born Abdul Jilani became the area's first-ever Asian councillor in the 1990s and lost his Whitby seat to the Tories a couple of years ago.

But the restaurant owner still lives in Neston and is deeply involved in community relations as vice-chairman of Chester Racial Equality Council.

Mr Jilani said he and rest of the area's Muslim community were 'shocked and appalled' by last week's terrorist atrocities in the capital, which left more than 50 people dead and scores of others injured.

A group linked to terrorist group Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for bombings of the Underground and a double-decker bus.

But Mr Jilani said he felt impelled to speak out so that the entire Muslim community is not blamed for the outrages perpetrated by just a few.

He said: 'The leaders of our community are devastated by what has happened. That the kind of thing that has happened in New

York and Madrid could also happen in this country is unbelievable.

'Now we are fearful that every member of the Muslim community will get the blame but I must stress that we are 100% British and feel the same way that everyone else does about this appalling tragedy. Not all Muslims are murderers.

'Many of us were either born here or have been here for many years. We have businesses and have brought up our families here.

'I have been in this country for more than 30 years and three of my daughters are at university here. Britain is our country.'

He added: 'The events in London show that the war against terrorism must continue and everyone - Muslim, Hindu, Jew, Christian - should get together to fight this evil.

'If whoever did this terrible thing has done it in the name of religion they are very wrong because no religion, let alone Islam, believes that killing is right.'

Mr Jilani went on: 'When I saw the news about this on the TV on Thursday morning I found it almost too unbearable to watch, and I feel for all the families affected by this.'