MORE than 1,000 kids are being taught “religious studies” in 40 back street Islamic schools in Britain’s al-Qaida heartland, it was revealed last night.Police chiefs fear extremists could be using the unregulated academies, known as “madrassas”, to preach a gospel of terrorism in Birmingham.
The schools, converted houses on the city’s sprawling estates, are not inspected by education officials or watchdog Ofsted.
Council officials admit they do not know what the children are being taught and none of the “teachers” has undergone criminal records checks.
A leaked report from the Ministry of Defence, MI5 and Special Branch identified Birmingham as one of Britain’s main recruiting centres for al-Qaida.
One senior anti-terrorist officer said: “These schools are unregulated, uncontrolled, and potential breeding grounds for young terrorists.’’
Muslim Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood, 48, wants the city council to step in and start regulating them.
He said it was “utter nonsense” they were allowed to operate unfettered.
A city council education department spokesman said madrassas operated in a “grey area” because they were classed as neither schools nor churches.
A city council education department spokesman said madrassas operated in a “grey area” because they were classed as neither schools nor churches.
And an Ofsted spokesman said it did not inspect madrassas as it was not required to do so by the Department of Education.
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