A MUSLIM leader spoke today of his fears of a "rising hostility" towards the Asian community in Scotland after the car bomb attack on Glasgow Airport.

Osama Saeed, the Muslim Association of Britain's Scottish spokesman, made the warning as police launched an investigation into an attack on an Asian newsagent's in Glasgow.

A car was rammed into the shop which was then set alight in the early hours of this morning.

It follows an incident in Bathgate yesterday where an estate agency next door to a mosque was set on fire. In a separate incident, two men were arrested after allegedly racially abusing a pair of Asian shopkeepers in Edinburgh

Mr Saeed said today: "In some ways it was expected as there was a backlash after September 11 and 7/7.

"I think we did have a sense of foreboding about it. But we have got to stress to people we are in this together.

"It hurts when these things happen. You are Scottish born and bred, yet people look at you when you walk down the street as if you don't belong.

"I know the people of Scotland as a whole will react to this as they should. But what you get are a small group of individuals who are out of control and want to take out a misplaced sense of revenge."

A Lothian and Borders Police spokeswoman said: "There have been a few incidents across the force area which may be related to the recent events in Glasgow and London. However, we have not experienced any significant increase."increase." [Link]