Addressing a dinner attended by minority Malay teachers on September 15 night, Lee said: "Whoever was responsible for these horrendous acts against innocent persons, we should not let it affect racial and religious harmony in Singapore.

"There is no justification for other Singaporeans to look on their Muslim fellow citizens differently or to hold them somehow responsible for what has happened.

"Nor is there any reason for Muslim Singaporeans to feel uncomfortable or defensive, or become overly sensitive to perceived slights" he said.

Singapore is a predominantly ethnic Chinese city-state but about 14 percent of its population is made up of Muslim Malays, and it is surrounded by largely Muslim populations in Indonesia and Malaysia.

While acknowledging that Singaporeans could not be insulated from overseas developments or speculative stories, Lee said: "We must not allow this incident, or any future external events, to tug us in different directions."

He said, "overly rigid and extreme views and practices" could trap the nation in "unnecessary inter-ethnic and inter-religious frictions, or worse consequences."

Lee also observed that while some Muslims had expressed concerns about arising prejudice, relations between Muslims and other Singaporeans remained "generally easy and relaxed."

Meanwhile, prominent Malay Muslim leaders here have publicly condemned the attacks and expressed their shock and sadness.

Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) president Maarof Salleh said Islam does not condone such cruel acts and "what took place was against humanity."

According to local television station Channelnewsasia, Sumardi Ali, the chief executive of an independent Muslim self-help organisation, Mendaki, warned that lingering religious prejudices and speculative misinformation would harm inter-racial goodwill in Singapore.

He said Islam forbids cruelty or terrorism and Mendaki was angered by the US tragedy and denounced all violent acts that result in suffering and loss of innocent lives.

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