Politicians, police and preachers unite to help tackle terror threat

But that was the case on March 11, where around 50 people from different faiths and backgrounds packed into Baitul Atta Mosque, Willenhall Road, Wolverhampton, alongside UKIP West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge.

The United Against Extremism event, organised by The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Wolverhampton, was held to launch a campaign to distribute 500,000 leaflets informing people of how best to deal with potential radicalisation and fundamentalism.

Mr Etheridge said: "To safeguard our communities we need to work together as a unit, irrespective of faith, political parties, colour or creed. Terrorists have no faith, no religion or sympathy. They will kill anyone no matter who. This has to stop.

"These are dangerous times, these are times where we all have to, people of peace and of decent values, pull together. It is not useful or helpful to label people as 'the other'.

"Previously we used to fight each other with primitive weapons, and we were a long way away from each other. Now, the opportunities for mass destruction, for the carnage that we've seen in Paris, it's there. Believe you me, I've travelled across the European continent regularly with my job and it's like a war zone, there are soldiers everywhere you look. People are on edge, people are distrusting, people are worried.

"The world is changing and it's changing fast and we have no choice but to keep up.

"We have to unite in peace and harmony with each other, with the people who contribute to this country, these civilised decent people.

"UKIP are not against immigration, we are about controlling the numbers, for decent, civilised people who make a contribution to come into this country. These people are our friends."

"The extremists will lose because we, as decent educated, intelligent people of good will come together like this to make a difference, and in the end, civilised values and humanity will win."

The hope is that the campaign will ensure the people of Wolverhampton are more informed about the peaceful nature of Islam and will bring communities together.

Reverend John Bennett and Labour MP Rob Marris also spoke at the event, which was attended by Sergeant Martin Hewitt of West Midlands Police and Dawn O'Brien, service development officer at Wolverhampton council.

MP Marris said: "There is a lot of love in our community. So let's keep getting together to love and support each other and we will beat extremism."

The mosque is keen to make people aware that the fundamentalist views held by terrorists are in the minority, with most Muslims part of a kind, caring and moderate community of acceptance and tolerance.

Toby Ephram, regional outreach coordinator and president of pan-African Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Midlands, said: "I mean this from my heart of hearts, these terrorists are not interested in what religion you are, what culture you are from, they are just interested in causing destruction. It is time to unite with each other, under one roof of peace, not divide and hate.

"We need to show these individuals that we are stronger together, and that we are all invested in achieving peace and harmony."

Muhammad Ashraf, regional president of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Wolverhampton, hopes that through the distribution of leaflets called 'Islam's response to extremism' and by talking to people on their doorsteps, they will be able to help the community gain a better understanding of what true Islam teaches. "We have witnessed men, women, young, old, rich and poor being misled into extremism, which is categorically against principal of Islam," he said.