Church and civic leaders came together yesterday to remember victims of the Birmingham pub bombings 30 years ago, when the IRA murdered 21 people and seriously injured 167 others. Relatives of those killed in the worst mainland terrorist atrocity attended a special service of commemoration at St Philip ' s Anglican Cathedral. They heard a plea from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, not to take revenge against an entire community because of the "unspeakable" actions of a few. Archbishop Nichols drew parallels between attacks against the Irish community in Birmingham after the 1974 pub bombings and the tendency today to blame Muslims generally for al Qaida terrorist atrocities. He also asked people to find the courage to pray for God to forgive the bombers - at which point a man and a woman stood up and walked out of the cathedral. The man, who would not give his name, said he could never forgive those who perpetrated such a dreadful crime. The Archbishop said: "Today, I know, that many members of the Islamic faith feel aggrieved whenever they hear on radio, TV or in conversation, the casual phrase 'Islamic terrorists'. "Terrorists, yes. But let us not repeat the mistakes of years ago and include all Muslims in a sweeping condemnation that lacks both accuracy and respect." Wreaths were laid at the memorial to the victims of the pub bombings in St Philip's churchyard. One message read: "For our Dad, Cliff." Another said: "To Dad, never forgotten, always with us." Similar memorial services were held across the city by Muslim and Sikh faiths. Archbishop Nichols said: "I stand here as a Catholic bishop. I have no real links with Ireland. But I am aware that fellow Catholics, and most Irish people, knew that in the days and months that followed those bombs they were viewed with suspicion, sometimes treated with disdain and, at times, even threatened." He was joined by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Irish-born Mike Nangle, who recalled the "harrowing" experiences suffered by the Irish community in the years after two bombs exploded at the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs. Coun Nangle (Lab Hodge Hill) said: "Most people understood that we were not all bombers but we had to keep our heads down for a number of years and work our way back into the mainstream." Calling on the bombers to apologise, Coun Nangle added: "As an Irishman, I didn't ask you to do it. You caused chaos in the city and considerable damage to the Irish community in Birmingham." Sinn Fein shied away from expressly apologising for the pub bombings. The movement's president, Gerry Adams, said he regretted what had happened in 1974 but he downplayed recent expectation that the IRA would issue an apology for the bombing. | 
