A PLANNED Muslim rally in Blackburn town centre was called off on Saturday because of a low turnout.

The demonstration, organised by The Muslim Council of Europe, should have seen Muslims march from Bangor Street Community Centre, Whalley Range, to Blackburn Town Hall, where they were due to deliver speeches.

But organisers decided not go ahead with the march because of the turnout and instead conducted speeches in Bangor Street.

March organiser Tassidiq Rehman, from Blackburn, said it was a demonstration against police terror raids in the town, which they claimed were a "violation of civil liberties" and part of a "Western war on Muslims".

They were also protesting the innocence of Junaid Feroze, the Blackburn man held in London's Belmarsh Prison under the Terrorism Act.

The march was organised to take place in Blackburn because it was the constituency of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, added Mr Rehman.

But Ibrahim Master, chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques, expressed his disapproval saying it could damage race relations in the town if demonstrators said anything controversial.

Organisers were defiant, however, and Mr Rehamn added: "People in the Muslim community are afraid to speak out, but we will have more people next time. We are planning another demonstration in about four weeks."