I am shocked
by what has happened and absolutely condemn the attacks in Iraq and
elsewhere.There has always been a sense in Crosland Moor of people pulling
together, and a sense of pride in the feeling of community. This is a
tight-knit community made up of many different groups and I think we are all in
shock at what has happened.
Cllr Erin Hill
I have seen
postings on social media that he is evil and should rot in hell, but here is a
family who have gone through a terrible tragedy. This was a horrendous one-off
incident - I simply do not believe the values of IS are widely held in our
community - and we should show our strength as a community and support
those who have been affected.
It is a
complete tragedy. I know we are awaiting confirmation but his family are
convinced it is their son and they are grieving.
It is not
fair that people should blame his family or the community for what has
happened. All that happens then is that more innocent people suffer. Prejudice
and racism have no place in our area.
I am upset
that there are so many negative comments about this man and what has happened,
because it means our area is associated with these events when there is
actually a huge amount of positive work going on and communities coexisting
peacefully.
I see so much
good in our community here every day and we need to be trying to discover and
to understand what has led this man to do what he did, and what leads all
people to become radicalised. Usually there are underlying reasons why they are
vulnerable.
In this case,
perhaps the effects of the trauma that affected him in the gang attack in May
2008 - where, by all accounts, he was an innocent bystander - played a part in
him becoming part of the terror group.
I and the rest of the
Crosland Moor community are in shock and we need to pull together to help
everyone through this. We should not turn on each other - that way, the
terrorists Cllr Erin Hill
