THE National Association of Muslim Police (Namp) has criticised the Government’s anti-terrorism strategy – calling it “an affront to British values”.

Namp also claims that the Government’s strategy has led to an upsurge in “Islamophobia”.

The Prevent Strategy – which aims to curb the spread of violent extremism – is, says Namp, “stigmatising Muslims by focusing on Islamic extremism. There is a connection in the rise of Islamophobia and our Prevent Programme as it feeds on the stereotypes that the media and some right-wing parties promote – that all Muslims are evil and untrustworthy”.

Namp, which has more than 2,000 members, said there is “a sense of frustration”

among Muslims that their concerns are not being heard and warned that “some serious damage” may have already occurred.

I am tempted to reply that serious damage has indeed been done already – by Muslim terrorists in London on July 7, 2005, who were home-grown and radicalised in Britain. It is this grooming and radicalising of young British Muslims which the Government’s Prevent Programme is designed to curtail.

Whenever anyone draws attention to the unpleasant reality of Islamic terrorism in this country there is always a violent and misplaced response, accusing the speaker or writer of racism and Islamophobia.

So it is necessary again to clarify exactly what is being claimed and what is not. I do not think for a minute all Muslims are potential terrorists. Most are decent, law-abiding citizens – as demonstrated by the expressed revulsion of mainstream Muslim groups and individuals at Islam4UK’s proposal to process 500 coffins through Wootton Bassett.

But logic is called for: certainly, not all Muslims are terrorists, but all recent acts of terrorism in this country have been carried out by Muslims. It would be folly, and a dereliction of that responsibility which the Government owes to the public, if the authorities were not keenly on the lookout for the radicalisation of young British Muslims.

Namp’s claim that we are more at risk from terrorist acts perpetrated by “right-wing groups” is nonsense. When was the last time a right-wing terrorist organisation blew up our trains and buses?

Regrettably, some of our universities and college campuses still harbour Islamofascist preachers of hate and jihad. All reasonable measures must be taken to curtail their activities and to root them out in the interests of public safety. This is what the Government’s Prevent Programme is meant to do.

So I was pleased to hear our most senior Asian policeman, Tarique Ghaffur, former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, say Namp should spend more time warning of the dangers of Muslim extremists.

It is worth recalling that Islamic terrorists are quite undiscriminating when it comes to their victims’ race or religion: they murdered Muslims, too, in the 7/7 attacks.

I am not pleased to learn that Namp exists – any more than I am by the knowledge that there is an Association of Black Police Officers.

Surely such organisations are racist and religiously discriminating by their very existence?

Police officers should not be identified by race or religion. They are all British and servants of the Queen. Their duty is to the safety and protection of the public.

■ Peter Mullen is Rector of St Michael’s, Cornhill, in the City of London, and Chaplain to the Stock Exchange.