Church-goers in a small city in southwest Kansas marched in support of the local Muslim community, after details emerged of a foiled plot by a far-right militia to bomb an apartment complex where many immigrants live.

Federal investigators announced the arrest of three men on 14 October, for involvement in a domestic terrorism plot.

They had allegedly planned to blow up a suburban housing estate in Garden City where several African immigrant families lived, along with a community from Burma.

Hundreds of predominantly Christian residents of the city gathered outside the apartment complex on 15 and 16 October to show support for the immigrant communities. Many also attended a candlelit "unity walk" vigil on Saturday night.

Around 1,000 Muslim refugees, most from Somalia, but some from Ethiopia and Sudan, live in the city of 28,000 people. Most work in a meat-packing factory nearby.

Reverend Denise Pass, a Presbyterian Church pastor who organised the initial rallies, said she felt it was important to hold an event in solidarity with the families affected by the bomb scare.

She told Al Jazeera: “When I heard this tragic news, it came to my mind that we — as members of this community and as Christians — should support and protect the local Muslim community."

The three terrorists were members of a small militia group who call themselves "the Crusaders". According to an FBI agent's affidavit, they hold “anti-government, anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant extremist beliefs."

Ms Pass said the majority of the Garden City population is not racist, anti-Muslim, or anti-immigration.

“The actions of few racist individuals should not be taken to represent the whole community, just as the Muslim community should not negatively labelled or held responsible for the actions of the very few terrorists who happened to be Muslims,” she said.

Halima Farh, a Somali refugee and shop manager, who lives in one of the flats the FBI said were targeted, has found most Garden City residents welcoming. She told local media she was shocked and scared when she heard about the plot, but after a meeting with the FBI and local police she felt safe again

“I was so scared, you know, but thank God nothing happened," she said.

“I know these things are happening around the world, but I never thought it would come to Garden City."

She added: "This changes nothing, though. I know Garden City is a good place full of lovely people.”

Steve Burgess owns the apartment complex affected and rents properties to more than 600 Somalians and Burmese. He told a local paper he is glad to provide homes to those new to the area and the country.

“We think they are good people, and if you take the time to teach them the rules, it can prove to be a successful relationship," he said.

"We have to be willing to go ahead and work with these people. It’s keeping our economy going, and it’s good for our community.”

Stephanie Burgess-Blackburn, bookkeeper for the rental business, said since the alleged terrorist plot the company had been checking on residents.

“Since the bomb scare last week, we have been asking them how they are doing and if they are feeling safe. They said they were scared last week, but they are calming down now and feeling more comfortable again,“ she said.

Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Show all 11 1 /11 Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Nadifo Yusuf, aged 25, with her five-month-old child at the New Shabelle Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp in Bosaso, Somalia. Says photographer Ed Ou: 'She fled on the back of a truck with her family after her husband was killed in the south of Somalia. She paid $30 for a truck ride, but was robbed by bandits in the night, which happens to a lot of people - so she'd had to beg for food along the way.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation A mother collects food from Save the Children. 'People had to queue for two hours to get food and it was very hot. They get given a bottle of cooking oil, then maybe 15 or 20 packets of a very high-calorie peanut paste specifically designed for children - it's got 500 calories per pack. They also get high-nutrient flour which they then cook up into bread.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Severely malnourished 11-month-old, Naimia Isaq Abdi, at a Stabilisation Centre in Bosaso. She weighs in at 5.5kg. 'They had to weigh people to see if they qualified, if they were eligible, as well as tracking whether they were growing - they would weigh the children in these buckets and then measure their arms.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Habibo Ali Mursal, aged 30, lies with her malnourished one-year-old baby, Sharifo Malin Mohamed, who weighs 5kg. 'Stabilisation centres are for more extreme cases, for people who are so malnourished they can't eat properly. The nurses pass out water and food but there are some children who have to take food in through the nose, perhaps if they're not conscious.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 'The food was supplied by the World Food Programme. Everyone had an identification card which was filled in and basically tracked how big their child was. It's pretty orderly - maybe because it's women and children. They knew they were about to get their food, it wasn't a desperate grab.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 'There were 6,000 people just at the New Shabelle camp. On my last day, there was a food hand-out and it seemed like they gave almost all of it out - they got through 50 boxes of peanut paste. Looking at the scope of the food hand-outs, you realised demand outweighed supply.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation A Somali woman stands over the only goat she has left in her pen inKarkaar, Somalia. 'She had over 60 goats, but they all died in the recent drought.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Yusuf carries water to her tent. 'Like any IDP camp they are in a pretty desperate situation. A lot of these camps have existed for some time but recently there's been a big influx. The toilet is an open field right by the water supply.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation The New Shabelle camp. 'Most of the shacks are made out of sticks - sticks are constructed into domes and then laced with cardboard and fabric, as much as they can.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation A new arrival builds a makeshift shelter. 'During the time we were there, we met new arrivals. There were maybe about 30 coming each day, but there are many different camps - there are 31 camps just around Bosaso - so it's hard to tell how many people are arriving.' Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Aniso Osman Hussein, aged 13, with her malnourished brother, Diini Osman Hussein, aged three and weighing 10.5kg, at the stabilisation centre. 'People are getting the amount of food they need - it's just there's a lot of people there now that need it. In order for everybody to get enough food, more needs to get there.' Ed Ou

She added: "They don’t seem to be spiteful or revengeful in any way.”

Ms Pass, however, was concerned about Muslims not feeling safe in the US, especially amid Republican candidate Donald Trump's explicitly anti-immigrant presidential campaign.