Most Muslim residents and traders the Birmingham Post spoke to yesterday in areas targeted in last month's terror raids criticised the police.
Businessman Bashir Ahmed, whose friend's bookshop had been searched as part of the raids, said he felt the claim did not paint an accurate picture.
The 49-year-old, who lives in Stratford Road, and has worked in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham for 40 years said: "Everyone knows that the Muslims are being targeted. My friend was not in the country at the time of the raids.
"The police called me at 4am asking if I had the keys to the premises but I told them I did not have it. They just broke the shutters and went inside. Five police vans and ten police cars that came to the premises made it look like this huge crime scene.
"When he came back from Saudi Arabia, they took him but dropped the charges against him, but nobody knows that and his reputation is ruined."
Mohammed Imran, who lives in Wilton Road, Sparkhill, said he felt the terror raids were a political ploy to take attention away from the Government.
The 25-year-old, who is self employed, said: "I think it was hype to take attention away from Tony Blair."
Automobile electrician Ziya Khan, aged 20, who also lives in Sparkhill, agreed with him.
"I have been stopped about ten times for nothing. They just look at your face and stop you for no reason."
Advertising executive Shak Khan from Blackpool, who works in Birmingham, said the British people felt the word "Muslim" was synonymous with "terrorist".
"I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion."
But Tariq Hussain, of Durham Road, Sparkhill, said he was glad the police had increased their patrols of the area.
The 32-year-old, said: "I feel more confident seeing more police around. I have been out three times and I have seen three or four police officers.
"My feeling is that people feel more confident here now as the police have also helped with the drug problem."
