Dr Al-Wazzan is no extremist

I know him personally and his wife and children.

To portray him as some sort of extremist is frankly ridiculous. I know you would love to have a hate figure like the extremist idiots in England.

But as a member of the Muslim community, thankfully the community here has avoided and actively avoids being associated with extremists. And I know he is no extremist supporter.

His family are currently trying to flee Isis controlled territory and could be killed any time. Public words here can endanger them.

You understand how your readership view words like ‘Sharia’. As a non native speaker who does not have the automatic bloodthirsty association many do, he won’t have realised how you try to twist his meaning.

No mention either of the fact that Dr Al-Wazzan was manipulated for political point scoring. Or the fact Belfast Islamic Centre opposed the action against Pastor McConnell to begin with.

Yes the community was shocked, hurt by the pastor. But few made complaints.

Even less wanted it to go to court – I believe the only reason was in part due to external (local) influence.

While the community might think Pastor McConnell is ignorant and prejudiced, there was no appetite for an elderly man to go to prison.

Even Dr Al-Wazzan who was a minority in wanting action, expected a suspended sentence at most.

Not merely is Dr Al-Wazzan and his family in danger, hatred of the Muslim community has reached such levels its just a matter of time before one of us is killed.

Take some responsibility in your reporting before it gets to that stage.

We don’t want to take over, introduce Sharia or the usual bull. We want to go to work in peace and take our kids out without having insults hurled at us.

I am a mother with a four-year-old daughter. We want our kids to do well in school without being viewed with suspicion by teachers and forced to hide who they are so not bullied by classmates.

Former evangelical who converted to Islam, Belfast

Ben Lowry: Dr Al-Wazzan role in McConnell case was a reason to pause

Nothing more to say on Pastor verdict: Belfast Islamic Centre