A FIERCE public debate was held tonight over plans to build Europe's biggest mosque on Waltham Forest's doorstep.

The £100 million structure, dubbed a "mega mosque", would be the biggest in Europe, having space for 10,000 worshippers with a facility to increase this later.

It has been earmarked for a site at Abbey Mills, in Stratford.

The mosque would serve as the UK and European headquarters of the Islamic group Tablighi Jamaat.

Tonight the Christian People's Alliance leader on Newham Council Alan Craig, and Tablighi Jamaat supporter Abdul Khaliq Mian, locked horns at a public debate in Stratford.

Cllr Craig has called for a public inquiry into Tablighi Jamaat following alleged terror links.

At the debate he accused Tablighi Jamaat of having a "them and us" mentality that would damage community relations.

He also criticised the group for keeping low-profile and not taking part in debates.

He said that the idea of an "Islamic" hub to the Olympics goes against everything the Games is supposed to stand for.

He also said that the mosque is likely to have been funded by Saudi Arabian money and criticised what he sees as that nation's religious intolerance.

Cllr Craig also alleged that Tablighi Jamaat had broken planning regulations on its existing mosque on the Abbey Mills site and had not cleaned up contamination.

Although supporting the group, Mr Mian was not speaking as a Tablighi Jamaat representative as the organisation had declined to attend the debate.

Mr Mian refuted the suggestion that Tablighi Jamaat encourages a divisive mentality, saying that the group is peaceful and open to everybody.

He also said that a larger mosque is needed to cater for the people of east London and that the contamination on the Abbey Mills site is safe.

Mr Mian also said that the Christian People's Alliance was not an inclusive organisation itself.

For more on the mega mosque debate, with quotes from both parties and other members of the public, see this Thursday's Waltham Forest Guardian.