MOSQUE leaders from across Waltham Forest have written to Stella Creasy MP ahead of a vote on military action in Syria.

A vote could happen on Wednesday this week, on whether or not Britain should join France and Russia in bombing terrorist group ISIS in Syria.

A spokesman for Waltham Forest Council of Mosques (WFCOM) said the Muslim community has been discussing the issue at length.

Key concerns include how the air strikes could promote peace, how ISIS could be stopped and how it will impact Britain.

In the letter they wrote: “Daesh (ISIS) are spread out in Syria and Iraq.

“The Americans, amongst others, have been undertaking military strikes for more than a year in Syria, yet that did not stop the horrific killings that occurred in Paris.

“Military strikes will inevitably kill some Daesh. However, the surviving Daesh will scatter far and wide and hide in highly populated civilian areas. Military strikes will therefore inevitably kill innocent civilians.”

WFCOM said they believe air strikes will make it easier for ISIS to recruit, because innocent people will be killed.

They also spoke about the possibility of arming the Free Syrian Army, Kurds and other groups.

But the leaders said “supplying more weapons means killing more” the FSA once sold weapons to ISIS.

They believe arming the Kurds will escalate the ongoing problems with Turkey.

“Once groups are made more militant, it is impossible to put the genie back in the bottle and hope that humanity will be restored,” the letter continues.

“Armed aggression in securing power has never resulted in a government that has served its people, without oppression persisting.

“Only further problems that affect our peace and security have been created.”

Although the group said we should ‘never be afraid’ to fight, they said MPs should not vote on the basis they believe there is a lack of alternative options.

The war on terror has failed in making the people of Britain safer, the group said.

WFCOM believes the best way to deal with the problem is to stop finance to Daesh, refusal to buy oil from them and a strengthening of the Syrian/Turkish border.

The group said killing people should be a ‘last resort’ when the civilian risk of death is so high.

“We are not averse to military action if all other viable options have been exhausted but it should not be the first or second response,” they concluded.

“We pray that you vote with sincerity, understanding and humanity.”

The Guardian has asked Waltham Forest MPs how they intend to vote.