Leading British universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, have been targeted by Islamic extremists who remain widely active on campuses, a prominent academic is warning, according to a report in the Sunday Telegraph. The Telegraph report said that up to 48 British universities had been allegedly infiltrated by fundamentalists, and “the threat posed by radical groups must be urgently addressed”, according to Prof Anthony Glees. The report said that Prof Glees would warn the Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) next month that the disbanded extremist group Al-Muhajiroun claimed to have infiltrated “the main campuses such as Cambridge, Oxford, the London School of Economics and Imperial College”. His speech on “radicalism in universities” also states that at its peak before the July 7 bombings in 2005, Al-Muhajiroun had a presence at “more than 48 universities and faculties”, and Omar Bakri Mohammed, the group’s founder, claims it is “still operational” in several campuses.
Prof Glees, the director of Brunel University’s Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, said, “We must accept this problem is widespread and underestimated.”
Following a report by Prof Glees showing that 31 universities and colleges had hardline Islamic groups within their campuses, the Department for Education and Skills issued guidelines last year on dealing with extremism.
Student Islamic societies have faced growing scrutiny after it emerged that one of 12 men charged in connection with the alleged plot to blow up transatlantic airliners was president of the Islamic Society at London Metropolitan University. Last year, AUCSO launched a “counter-terrorism” group to tackle the spread of Islamic fundamentalism on campuses. According to the Telegraph report, Prof Glees called on the government to provide extra investment in campus security.