Britain faces a serious threat from Muslim extremists trying to recruit university students to terrorism, Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell is warning. Mr Rammell will release new guidance on what lecturers should do to tackle violent groups targeting vulnerable undergraduates and preaching hatred on campus. The guidance contains advice on how to respond if staff suspect groups are circulating extremist literature to students or if they are concerned about radical speakers visiting a university.

Mr Rammell insisted Muslims were not being singled out – but he stressed that the threat from Islamic radicals must be faced head on. He said: “The guidance provides a recognition – that I believe must be faced squarely – that violent extremism in the name of Islam is a real, credible and sustained threat to the UK. And that there is evidence of serious, but not widespread Islamist extremist activity in higher education institutions.”

Press Association, 17 November 2006

See also Islam Online, 16 October 2006