ASIAN communities across East Lancashire were on alert today after the second London nail bomb attack sparked fears of a nationwide neo-Nazi terror campaign.
The warning came as anti-terrorist police studied letters which have been sent to prominent Asian and black politicians by a group calling itself the White Wolves.
A copy of the stencilled statement by the "Command Council of the White Wolves" was received by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph more than two weeks ago - before the first nail bomb attack in Brixton which left 39 people injured.
The letter was posted from the Mount Pleasant area of London.
Lancashire Police confirmed today that local Special Branch officers were aware of a group called the White Wolves, but refused to comment further.
The letter said: "Notice is hereby given that all non-whites and Jews (defined by blood, not religion) must permanently leave the British Isles before the year is out.
"Jews and non-whites who remain after 1999 has ended will be exterminated. When the clock strikes midnight on 31/12/99 the White Wolves will begin to howl and when the wolves begin to howl, the wolves begin to hunt. You have been warned, HAIL BRITANNIA."
On Saturday a second nail bomb was left just off Brick Lane in the heart of London's Bangladeshi community. Six people, all of Bangladeshi origin, were injured when the blast ripped apart a Ford Sierra. Lancashire Police and Home Secretary Jack Straw have both urged local Asian communities, which includes sections of Mr Straw's Blackburn constituency, to be vigilant and look out for anything or anybody suspicious.
A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "People should not take anything for granted.
"If they see a suspicious object, for example a bag left in a restaurant, they should tell somebody as quickly as possible."
Chief Superintendent Eddie Walsh, of Blackburn Police, said: "It is natural for us to take special precautions because of the large ethnic minorities.
"We are asking the community to be more vigilant and to take extra care if they come across any suspect packages."
Mr Straw promised that the police were making "a huge effort" to track down the far-right terrorists behind the outrage and to protect communities throughout Britain from further assaults.
He also appealed for help from the public: "People who have got any sort of information about neighbours, or friends, or acquaintances, people at work who they think may be involved in far right extremist organisations should please tell the police."
He said that while he did not know of the White Wolves group, it was the nature of the far right to split into a number of small, loosely knit groups.
Burnley Councillor Rafique Malik pledged that Asian communities in East Lancashire would be vigilant.
He said: "There is always a need to be conscious of what is going on around us, although people should not be become unnecessarily neurotic."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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