SIX people carried out a 'revenge attack' on a group of racist whites who had targeted their community during the Burnley riots, a court heard.

Five men and a teenager are charged in connection with the violence which flared between groups of white and Asian males around various areas of Burnley town centre.

Tariq Saddique, 28, of Azalea Road, Blackburn; Mohammed Bashir, 22, of Forest Street, Burnley; Mohammed Nawaz, 35, of Lord Street, Brierfield; Asif Khan, 24, of Francis Street, Burnley; Abdul Rahim Kayani, 18, of Brougham Street, Burnley, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny causing violent disorder on several streets bordering Burnley's Asian community on June 24, 2001.

During the Burnley troubles large groups of white and Asian males, some of whom were armed with swords, machetes, golf clubs, axes and cricket bats, attacked several pubs, overturned cars, burnt property and charged at police officers, Preston Crown Court heard. Prosecuting barrister David Pickup told the jury of five men and seven women: "People were terrified and put in fear for their lives and safety."

A group of about 30 white men who had been drinking outside a local pub threatened Asian drivers in the road, Asian properties and people in the area had stones and bricks hurled at them, doors were kicked in and windows smashed. Later the white groups started fighting with police.

This racial violence sparked attacks and threatening behaviour from large groups of Asians, the court heard.

Mr Pickup said that the Asian defendants in court did not commit the alleged violence in self-defence but that it could have been as a "revenge attack" to hit back at the group of racist whites who had been targeting their community.

"It was a very violent and dangerous situation with the whites. The Asians in the community feared for their lives during that but they were not these defendants.The defendants may have acted in revenge and probably in reaction to what was going on, but not in self-defence.

"No one was threatening their property or threatening them. This was pure violence," he added. One incident of violent disorder which all the defendants except Nawaz were charged with relates to charging at police officers in areas around Colne Road, Hurtley Street, Briercliffe Road and Barton Street.

Saddique and Bashir are also accused of being involved in a large scale attack on the Daneshouse Working Men's Club, near Robinson Street, which is popular among white people, the court heard.

Bricks and pieces of metal were used as missiles to smash the pub's windows and a group of Asians tried to storm the doors, which were held shut by two customers in the pub, while a sword was also plunged through a door narrowly missing a customer, Mr Pickup said.

CCTV cameras were also damaged during the violence, which the prosecution alleges Asian groups carried out in an attempt to avoid detection by police and hide their actions.

Saddique admits criminal damage to a CCTV camera between Hall Street and Abel Street, while Bashir denies the same charge.

All the defendants are also charged with possessing offensive weapons. Saddique is alleged to have carried a cricket bat, Kayani a large wooden stick, Bashir and Nawaz batons, Khan a sword and the youth is charged with carrying a baton and a golf club.