'We'll drive extremists out'

Moderate Muslims in Luton, where Britons have been recruited for the Taliban, today vowed to drive an extremist Islamic group from the streets.

The call follows inflammatory remarks made by the organisation Al-Muhajiroun after Luton men Afzal Munir and Aftab Manzoor, both 25, reportedly died in a US bomb attack in Afghanistan having gone to fight for the Taliban.

Today, a statement on behalf of the town's 20,000 Muslims read: "Their activities will no longer be tolerated here. "Muslims are sick and tired of their provocative remarks. If we see Al-Muhajiroun on the streets spreading their poison, we will drive them off the streets." A petition against Al-Muhajiroun activities, signed by hundreds of Muslims will be handed to the group.

Farasat Latif, secretary of the Call To Islam Bookshop mosque, which issued the challenge, said: "They are provoking a climate that raises racial tension. If we see them, we will take down their stalls and confiscate their belongings. "There will be no violence but we are not going to tolerate them anymore. The police should also be prosecuting them for inciting religious hatred."

Since 10 supporters proclaimed in Luton it was every Muslim's duty to fight for the Taliban, the 28-year-old leader of Luton's al-Muhajiroun, known as Shahed, has been in hiding.