THE PRESIDENT of the Islamic Society in Dundee University has dismissed the recent report about terrorist recruitment on campus as “baseless and absurd,” and voiced concern about the effect it will have on how Muslim students will be viewed within the community.

Hussan Habib responded to claims made in a report called When Students Turn To Terror, by Professor Anthony Glees, that Dundee University had been used as a recruiting ground for terrorism and that Shamsul Bhari Hussein, a suspect in the Bali bombings, had been radicalised while studying in the city in the 1980s.

His response also comes in conjunction with a survey conducted by the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), to which the Dundee society is affiliated, that has shown there is a growing concern about how claims like those made by Professor Glees will affect Muslim students in Britain.

The report claimed that 72% of Muslim students would inform the police about any suspected terrorist and that the remainder of the respondents would do so after trying to persuade the person to stop their activities.

Faisal Hanjra, head of FOSIS student affairs, said, “The recent media hype about extremism on campus has already done its damage, thanks to unfounded allegations linking ‘Islamism’ with individual universities.

“We are urging the Government and university authorities to tackle this issue more sensitively.”

Mr Habib echoed the FOSIS findings yesterday and expressed worries about the misrepresentation of Muslim students in Dundee.

He said, “This kind of report is creating sensationalism and is very damaging. We are very concerned about the way other students on campus may view Muslim students, as a result.

“There is no link with Dundee University and Hussein’s recruitment. The claims are unfounded.”