Freed man calls Britain police state for Muslims

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) One of nine men arrested in an anti-terrorist swoop last week described Britain as a police state for Muslims after he was released without charge.

Abu Bakr from Birmingham, central England, was among those held by police investigating a suspected plot to kidnap and kill a British Muslim soldier.

''I would say it is a police state for Muslims,'' said Bakr, who works in a bookshop targeted in the operation.

''It's not a police state for everybody else because these terror laws are designed specifically for Muslims,'' he told the BBC in an interview broadcast yesterday.

''That's quite an open fact because the people who have been arrested under terrorism law, the groups for example that have been banned under the terrorism law, the people that have been affected by terrorism legislation, have been Muslims,'' he said.

''We are feeling the brunt of it all. We are the ones who are being locked up, detained, and then told go back to our lives.'' Bakr, who was released yesterday along with another man, said the experience would remain with him forever.

''I'm scared for myself and my family,'' he said. ''This is going to affect me for the rest of my life.'' Police continue to hold the seven other suspects after being granted an extra 72 hours for questioning. The nine men were arrested last Wednesday on suspicion of the ''commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism''.

Reuters MS DS1350