Daily Star reporter Richard Peppiatt has quit over what he claims is the paper's anti-Muslim agenda, reported the Guardian. His letter to owner Richard Desmond is available in its entirety online.

In the letter, Peppiatt accuses the paper of stirring up Islamaphobia. In particular, he mentions two stories: one entitled "Muslims-only public loos" and a more recent one "English Defence League to become a political party." He also accuses the paper of knowingly printing fabricated stories.

In the "Muslims-only public loos" story, the paper inaccurately stated that a Rochdale shopping center had used taxpayer's money for Muslim only toilets. In reality, the toilets were available to all and being paid for by the shopping center itself, according to BBC News. A complaint was made to the Press Complaints Commission, and the Daily Star was told to issue an apology.

The story on the English Defence League- a group whose members have been accused of making attacks against Muslims- also had questionable beginnings, claims Peppiatt. "[T]his incendiary tale was twisted and bent to fit an agenda seemingly decided before the EDL's leader Tommy Robinson had even been interviewed. Asked if his group were to become a political party I was told the ex-BNP goon had replied: 'Not for now.'" Islamophobia Watch, a site that documents anti Muslim bigotry, agrees. In response to the story, they said, "It seems, in fact, that the Daily Star has gone beyond merely backing the EDL and is actually suggesting their political line to them."

The Daily Star issued its own statement on Peppiatt, saying, "Richard Peppiatt worked purely as a casual reporter at the Daily Star for almost two years. Recently he became unhappy after he was passed over for several staff positions... Since he wrote his email we have discovered that he was privately warned very recently by senior reporters on the paper after suggesting he would make up quotes. Regarding the allegations over the paper's coverage of Islam, he was only ever involved in a very minor way with such articles, and never voiced either privately or officially any disquiet over the tone of the coverage. For the record, the Daily Star editorial policy does not hold any negativity towards Islam and the paper has never, and does not endorse, the EDL."

After reading the statement, Peppiatt responded on his Twitter account, "Loving the Daily Star's response... I managed to clock almost 850 bylines while 'purely' a freelance." He later wrote, "The sheer number of former Daily Star employees who have been in contact offering support has been stunning."

The letters haven't all been supportive. The Independent reports that Peppiatt has also received several threatening emails, phone calls and text messages from anonymous sources.

Peppiatt isn't backing down. "Going public has been at once the easiest and most difficult decision I've ever had to make. The messages of support from all quarters of the media and beyond, has confirmed to me I'm fighting the good fight, if belatedly. Obviously it was shocking when the attempts to intimidate me began, but it only served to harden my resolve."

Sources: BBC News, The Guardian (1), (2), , The Independent, Islamophobia Watch (1), (2), Press Complaints Commission, Twitter