Universities in the UK will be encouraged to spy on Asianlooking and Muslim students in a bid to combat “extremism” amongst Muslims.

Muslim students from "segregated" backgrounds were more likely to support extremist stances, according to a report issued to universities across the country by the Department of Education in Westminster.

It also encouraged universities to pro-actively report students to local police forces, yet it acknowledged "concerns about police targeting certain sections of the student populations such as Muslims. Additionally, universities were advised to check external speakers invited to give lectures to students of Islamic societies, as they can often be "more radical speakers or preachers."

The new guidelines has been strongly criticised by Muslim students and their representative bodies. Wakkas Khan, president of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies, "It is targeting Muslim students and treating them to a higher level of suspicion and scrutiny. It sounds like you're guilty until you're proven innocent."

saying that this is the widest infringement of the rights of Muslim students that there ever has been in this country. Lecturers have also commented that they are likely to be put in a difficult ethical position with their students. Gemma Tumelty, president of the National Union of Students, added:

"They are going to treat every Muslim with suspicion on the basis of their faith. It's bearing on the side of McCarthyism."