LANCASHIRE Council of Mosques has written to David Cameron asking the UK Government to condemn the film ‘The Innocence of Muslims’ which has caused the deaths of dozens of people in violent protests.

The council held a press conference at the Bangor Street Community Centre in Blackburn to announce their actions in the wake of the uproar across the Islamic world about the film which it deemed to ‘ridicule, mock and promote half truths regarding the Prophet Muhammad’.

Coun Salim Mulla, deputy mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, said the council condemned the violence that has marked protests about the film and led to more than 28 deaths including those of four US officials who died when the consulate building in Benghazi was attacked and set on fire. He said: “I am disappointed that our Foreign Secretary William Hague has condemned the violence but not the film itself as the US Secretary of State has done.

“We have written to the Prime Minister asking him to do this and to Mr Hague and Home Secretary Theresa May as well. We have spoken to our MP Jack Straw asking him to urge the Government on this.”

In the letter to Mr Cameron, Mr Mulla said: “This film has been made and circulated to infuriate and enrage billions of Muslims worldwide.

“Having seen excerpts of it, I can only say that it has been put together by bigots with the sole aim of offending Muslims. Films such as this are merely designed to play with their emotions.

“As an umbrella organisation representing over a hundred mosques in Lancashire and thousands of Muslims from this part of the United Kingdom, I ask you and your Government to condemn this movie.”

Asked about suggestions that some activists want to hold a protest march against the film in Blackburn, Coun Mulla said: “We thought about a march in Blackburn and spoke to the police but decided that it would be an open invitation to the EDL, BNP and other right-wing groups to cause trouble.”