Britain 'faces terrorism for generations'

Britain is facing a "perpetual fight" against Islamic terrorism to protect our way of life, a government minister has warned. The Communities minister, Phil Woolas, said it would take "generations" to overcome extremists who wanted to destroy society.

Mr Woolas, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, was speaking at a meeting of community leaders from various faiths held to monitor the progress of government measures to combat terrorism after the July 7 London bombings.

He said the Government was working hard to implement the 64 recommendations made to combat terrorism since the bombings, but called for community leaders' help. "We can't solve it on our own. The terrorists will use whatever argument they have got to pull the wool over susceptible people's eyes, but their goal, as Bill Clinton said, is to destroy the idea of a pluralist society.

"Don't believe that the Government doesn't understand your fear - of course we do. But the solution is to defeat terrorism, and that's the main goal of the Government," he added.