A local Islamic youth group condemned the terrorist attack and appealed for tolerance towards Muslims. The Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association said in a statement: 'The acts of terrorism that occurred in the US on September 11 are utterly condemned as senseless, vicious and immoral. 'Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance which holds life in high esteem. The killing of innocent victims is totally forbidden.' But the association urged the world not to be prejudiced against Islam. 'We pray that this incident does not place a bias or prejudice against Muslims in general,' the association said. 'And that the US Government takes a cautious and objective approach supported by reliable evidence in any act of retaliation against the perpetrators.' Students at the Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College in Chai Wan said yesterday they had not experienced any prejudice. The school's religious teacher, Abu Bakar Ma, said: 'We've explained to our students that neither our religious belief nor any particular country is at fault. We had a one-minute silence on Monday to pay tribute to not only those killed in the World Trade Centre tragedy but [victims of] other unfortunate incidents.' Meanwhile, about a dozen local Muslims have been visiting a date palm tree in Yuen Long, planted as a sapling from the Muslim holy city of Mecca, to pray for peace. Ma Yuk-lan, who has nursed the tree for more than 50 years, said: 'We are praying to our true God for peace. The civilians in the Middle East have nothing to protect themselves from guns and bullets.'