Pictures of worshippers were only allowed while they are in ruku` (bowing).

LONDON — Thousands of people cram into mosques to perform the Tarawih prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Most of them are in for the worship, though same are watching and monitoring.

"We are fed up with scrutiny and repeated visits by strangers," Hasan Ali, the curator of Hazrat Sultan Bahu mosque in Upton Park, told IslamOnline.net.

Inside the mosque, worshippers piously lined up while the imam was reciting the Noble Qur'an during the Tarawih.

Ali politely declined to allow IOL correspondent to take pictures of worshippers by during the prayers except while they are in ruku` (bowing).

"Scotland Yard elements are among the worshippers," Ali said.

"They perform the Tarawih from the first rakaa till the very end merely to watch the worshippers' moves, particularly in the wake of recent incidents and suspicions raised about Muslims of Pakistani origin."

Ali said that some of the Scotland Yard elements are even Muslims.

"Similar situations have been reported to us by friends in other mosques in eastern and southern London."

A number of British Muslims, mainly of Pakistani origin, were arrested on charges of plotting to blow up airliners bound for the US with liquid explosives disguised as drinks.

Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of around 1.8 million, a large section of tem are of Pakistani origin.

Tensed up

A similar situation occurred in another mosque in West ham district where pictures of worshippers were not allowed.

"Worshippers are extremely tensed up, in view of media reports about Muslims," said the mosque curator.

Britain's most senior Muslim officer has said that British laws were alienating the sizable Muslim minority and are running the risk of criminalizing ethnic minorities.

A recent poll showed that eighty-six percent of British Muslims would inform police if they suspected a fellow Muslim was involved in a terror attack.

The poll, conducted by ICM, also showed that 56 of British Muslims did not believe a police warning that there were thousands of extremist British Muslims willing to carry out attacks inside the country.

Despite the tensed situation, thousands of British Muslims are keen to perform the Tarawih prayers.

"British Muslims, particularly of the second and third generations, are coming in droves to perform Tarawih," Ali said.

"They are keen to perform the prayers though many of them do not understand Arabic."

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, is the period when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

During this holy month, which is dedicated to spiritual growth, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.