A leading member of the Muslim community in Basildon today warned that the post-war cost of the Iraq conflict will have to be paid by Britain - and not the US.
Sarfraz Sarwar, chairman of the Basildon Islamic Society, believes that Britain can now expect even more immigrants from Iraq, fleeing the instability in their homeland - with the British National Party as the only real beneficiaries of the one-sided conflict.
The Evening Echo reported last week that four Iraqi asylum seekers were found by police in the back of a Spanish lorry at a petrol station in Basildon - some of the more than 20,000 Iraqi immigrants Britain can expect this year.
Sarfraz Sarwar has been left wondering whether the people in south Essex who support the war are aware that the John-Wayne-style film currently playing on their TVs was just the beginning.
He said: "What will people of Britain's opinion of the war be when we are looking at thousands of asylum seekers coming into the country?
"Will the 63 per cent of people who support the war be prepared to support all the immigrants?
"The war is now over, but when the dust settles that's when the trouble starts.
"We already have problems here with the BNP standing up for election and the war will just play into their hands."
"Money will now need to be spent on rebuilding Iraq at a time when there are all sorts of problems with our schools and the economy."
Mr Sarwar believes Britain will bear the brunt of the reconstruction costs in Iraq and will have to house many of the dislocated people.
Published Wednesday, April 9, 2003
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