SAMAD Khan (Letters, December 18) made valid points, as to the causes of the summer riots, in referring to criminal elements and the ineptitude of so-called leaders of the affected towns' Muslim communities, but he was clearly in error to deny that racism in the form of far right extremism played any part at all.

As I understand it, the rioters were in the main protesting against this vicious poison, and much repressed anger at discrimination inherent within policing and the justice system, education and employment was brought to the fore.

Mr Khan's observation has failed him also regarding the subsequent reports, wherein an aspect of culpability on the part of single faith schools was not 'identified,' but merely suggested as a possibility without a semblance of credible evidence.

We need to get facts straight and one is that the rioters were neither students nor ex students of Muslim faith schools.

Indeed, judging by their dress, hairstyles, and arrogant postures; and, moreover, by the knowledge that many were drunk or high on drugs, it is patently obvious that they were not practising Muslims at all.

In expressing their frustrations, these youths displayed a lamentable lack of knowledge and understanding of their religion, and this is the inevitable result of a state education which is at best unenthusiastic in terms of respect for Islamic beliefs and practices, besides parents' own ignorance and lukewarm faith and that of 'community leaders' hardly fit to lead themselves to the corner shop. How, then, can it be seriously inferred that Islamic educational establishments somehow share the blame?

A greater part of the subject of personal and social education, which I teach at a local independent Muslim school, is already highly stressed in Islam. As well as discouragement of drug and alcohol abuse, this includes the promotion of good manners and due respect, tolerance and non racism.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan proceeded with outrageous and nonsensical claims concerning a school in Blackburn which he accused of being sectarian and doing little to promote racial harmony. If mainstream orthodox Sunni Islam is a sect then it is one adhered to by 90 per cent of the world's Muslims.

Perhaps, Mr Khan is guilty of his own charge and this might partly explain his effrontery in describing the school as 'exclusively for the Bharuchee community.'

The reality is that Tauheedul Islam school (the name in fact refers to the unity of Islam) was built by members of Tauheedul Islam mosque primarily for the benefit of their own children, but presently caters for 90 pupils besides 35 per cent of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Punjabi, Pathan and Kokni origin parents.

Surat and Valsad districts of Gujarat state are also represented, as is Uttar Pradesh state, itself 1,000 miles from Bharuch.

DAOUD AMIN, Audley Range, Blackburn.