Journalists rounded on Government ministers last night over recent comments concerning the British Muslim community.
A tabloid reporter said: "British Muslims feel that politicians have blown these crude stereotypes out of proportion. Probably because most of them are home-grown suicide bombers."
His comments came as broadcast media sources warned political figures about creating a climate of fear and suspicion. "This criticism of Muslim faith and practices can only serve the agenda of those seeking to exacerbate divisions in our society" claimed an unnamed factual TV producer. "A subject we'll exploring in our special twelve-part documentary 'Asylum and Islam: Britain's terrorist timebomb' "
A broadsheet editor confirmed: "These comments will only give credence to the views of bigots, extremists and reactionaries, as our new columnists Richard Littlejohn, Melanie Phillips and Peter Hitchens explain."