Islamist extremists at a British university tried to impose a Taliban-style culture of intimidation, creating a “chilling effect” on the lives of staff and students.

A confidential report on the radicalisation of British universities found that Islamists at City University London engaged in “sub-criminal extremism”, abusing staff and students and leaving them feeling threatened.

The report, circulated last week to more than 90 vice-chancellors in England and Wales, documents how members of the university’s 180-strong Islamic society said adulterers should be stoned and forced women students to wear the hijab. One, after hearing a homophobic visiting preacher, said Islam condemned homosexuals to a violent death.

The society promoted “offensive jihad” or launching unprovoked attacks on non-Muslims, the report says. Its members allegedly threatened and intimidated Jewish and gay students. Moderate Muslims complained that their religion had been “hijacked”.

Using “aggressive rhetoric” against critics and nonMuslims alike, the society’s members described women as “deficient” and said they should not mix with men but stay in the bedroom. Some members called Shi’ite Muslims “deviants”, and said Sikhs were “filthy” and “sick”.

The 38-page report by Quilliam, a think tank partly funded by the Home Office, will reinforce fears in government about the way that some British universities are failing to prevent extremists from using them as incubators of terrorism. The focus of concern is the role of Islamic societies (Isocs), which are now active in more than 60 universities.

Sunday Times, 17 October 2010