COMMUNITIES secretary Hazel Blears has divided Muslims with her anti-extremism strategy.

Some Muslim groups say the Salford MP is trying to `dictate' to Muslims how they should worship after she set up a panel of top Islamic scholars in a bid to combat terrorism.

Others have welcomed the moves, which Ms Blears says are aimed at helping people come to terms with being British Muslims.

The panel, part of an £80m a year package, is expected to set out and promote the religion's key beliefs and consider controversial issues like whether women should wear veils. Some Islamic groups have described the moves as `naïve' and `patronising' and said the government's involvement in the panel would alienate the young people who were most vulnerable to extremists.

But at the scheme's launch at Manchester town hall, Ms Blears insisted Muslim representatives had asked the government to help set up the board, but it would be a voluntary organisation.

She said: "People with a weak understanding of their faith are most vulnerable to extremism. Faith is not part of the problem, but it can be part of the solution."

"This is not an area for government to intervene, but we will create the space for others to act."

Cambridge University will create an independent board of 20 academic and theological experts. Ms Blears said £45m this year and £80m a year within two years would be used to teach young Muslims citizenship in mosque schools.

Officials said mosque teachers in London, Leicester, Birmingham, Oldham, Rochdale, and Bradford would be trained over the summer.

Ms Blears, who visited youngsters in Oldham working against extremism, said she wants more activities for young people of different faiths.

Mohammed Shafiq, of the Ramadhan Foundation, Britain's top Muslim youth organisation based in Greater Manchester, said: "I am very sceptical. The fact this is set up by the government will alienate those most at risk. I find it patronising the government are setting up an organisation to decide on contemporary Islamic issues, no one is telling Christians how to conduct church services.

"The government is avoiding issues rather than analysing its own foreign policy, which is at the heart of these problems."

But Imam Irfan Chisti, from Rochdale, welcomed the plans and said: "We as a Muslim community approached the government because theology is at the heart of this issue and we need to tackle it head on.

"As a teacher in the state system and in the mosques, I know how vulnerable our children are to ideas."
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