WELSH Secretary Paul Murphy may meet Newport's Moslem community amid fears they could be targeted by far-right extremists after the terrorist attack on the United States.

As Labour's Brighton conference got under way the Torfaen MP (pictured) warned Wales that the Moslem community were worried about a backlash developing against them.

"Today, in Wales, there will be many in our Moslem community who live in fear of the violent and hatred of the racists," he said in his speech to delegates.

And Wales' First Secretary Rhodri Morgan echoed his concern. "You may see from those who are brain-dead a backlash against Moslems," Mr Murphy told the Argus.

"You might get slogans daubed on mosques. But it may get nastier. National Front types in Wales might use it as a opportunity to have a go at the Moslem community." Newport, Cardiff and Barry all have strong Moslem communities.

But Mr Murphy, urging Wales to show tolerance, told the Argus he would consider meeting representatives of the Moslem community if he felt that would be useful. His move was welcomed by Rosemary Butler, Welsh Assembly Member for Newport, who was at the conference. She told the Argus: "The Moslem community are a valued group."

Speaking to the conference when it opened on Sunday Mr Murphy said: "The task for those of us in politics - in all parties - is to show ourselves worthy of those in fear and those who grieve. We must demonstrate, through our actions, that democracy and freedom are not just words but shared values.

"We must display, every day, the true politics of inclusion through not just we do but also through what we say.

"For words are powerful instruments especially in the hands of the powerful. They can incite to hatred and to violence."

He said: "Islam is a religion of mercy and tolerance. It was not Islam that led to the attacks of September 11 but hatred.

"Like Thomas Jefferson - that most famous of Welsh-Americans - I hold those truths to be self-evident, that all men - and I would add women - are created equal."

Mr Morgan meanwhile added his weight to the government's efforts to secure the early release of former Wales on Sunday journalist Yvonne Ridley being held in Afghanistan.

* Britain has frozen 88 million US dollars (£61 million) of financial assets suspected of belonging to Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, Chancellor Gordon Brown was announcing today.

* Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised to push through the new powers to ensure Britain does not become a "safe haven" for international terrorists. l Labour's annual conference was resuming today with the international terror crisis still overshadowing domestic political debate.