A KEIGHLEY Muslim youth leader has suggested a pledge of loyalty to the UK could help shield youngsters from the poisonous influence of extremist ideology.

Faheem Rahman, youth leader for Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association Keighley, said young Ahmadi Muslims already make such a commitment.

"In tackling radicalisation and alienation from mainstream society, a lot has been said about citizenship and loyalty to our country," he added.

"A pledge of loyalty in school assemblies, in which children repeat a pledge of loyalty to their nation, would be one way of ingraining loyalty across the board from childhood.

"Youngsters need to feel a part of society. Both schools, parents and imams need to engender a sense of belonging to society as well as a desire to serve society at large."

Responding to the massacre carried out in Paris by ISIS terrorists earlier this month, he pointed out the leader of the global Ahmadiyya Muslim community had been urging governments to take the terrorism threat seriously for years.

He warned: "Extremist clerics manipulate disenfranchised youngsters by giving them a twisted and warped interpretation of the Islamic faith.

"Mosques must redouble their efforts to give the youth a true moral upbringing, whereby they become upstanding citizens of society.

"We support our Government’s efforts to curb extremism and we pray these efforts are successful, so he evil of extremism and terrorism is finished so we can all live together in peace and harmony."

He said young people should be encouraged to play a greater role in serving society, by getting involved with activities such as helping the elderly, planting trees, cleaning up the environment and donating blood.

"If the energies of the youth are channelled into such productive activities, we can then hope they can grow to be great citizens of this great nation," he added.

l See letters on pages 12/13 for Faheem Rahman's full comments