Vatican supports call to teach Islam

The Vatican has surprisingly welcomed a proposal to teach Islam in Italian schools.

Adolfo Urso, an ally of prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, said the subject should be taught for an hour a week to "avoid Muslim youngsters being drawn to the ghettos of madrasse (Islamic schools) run by fundamentalists" and was backed by deputy prime minister Gianfranco Fini.

Cardinal Renato Martino, of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said: "This would avoid radicalism and should be considered - obviously with some form of control."

But the proposal rocked Fini's Right-wing coalition and was slammed by the anti-immigration Northern League.