RADICAL Muslims warned of a “war of Islam” against the UK population in a backlash to the treatment of protesters during an anti-war protest in Luton.

A press conference was held in the Holiday Inn, Walthamstow Avenue, Chingford, in reaction to the arrests and widespread criticism of Islamist protesters who disrupted a home-coming parade for soldiers in Luton.

The protesters shouted at soldiers and waved placards with slogans including, "Butchers of Basra" and "Cowards, killers, extremists", causing enough disruption to stop the parade.

Controversial cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri, a former member of the disbanded extremist al-Muhajiroun who is banned from the UK, spoke by telephone conference at the meeting about the “very big hole” that British people are digging themselves in and warned that ‘a war of Islam’ will be waged against those who try to silence Muslims.

Mr Bakri said that Muslims are being silenced in this country whenever they try to speak about against the “atrocities committed by British soldiers serving in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars".

He said: “When you say something they don’t like, they will use violence against you. They don’t want to hear the truth.

“You will always condemn Muslims who want to help their brothers and sisters abroad.”

He continued: “The 1.5billion Muslims around the world don’t accept the society of masters and slaves. We will not accept that you are our masters and we are your slaves. If we are subservient to God and living with you and you guarantee sanctity for life, we guarantee it back.

“But the minute you start to fight against us you are digging a hole, and it is going to be a very big hole.

“Be careful. The moment we hear you are touching our brothers and sisters in the name of freedom of speech and you declare war against us, we will declare Islam against you.”

At the meeting, Anjem Choudary, also a former member of anti-semetic group al-Muhajiroun, also condemned the Iraq and Afganastan invasions and said the reaction to the Luton protesters proves that “freedom of democracy does not apply when it comes to Muslims”.

He said that his group was not involved in July 7 and would not carry out any terrorist attacks on the UK population, but that he cannot speak for other Muslims who are “under the radar”.

He also used the opportunity to promote Sharia law, which his sect would like to see replace British law. This which would see men and women segregated, homosexuality and promiscuity punishable with violence, and alcohol banned.

He then declared that “Islam is the solution to the credit crunch”.

He said: “Think about a system where food and clothing is provided for people. That is surely a system you want to live under?

“We cut off the hand of thieves and punish those who drink alcohol, but if you look at Islamic states, there are few reports of rape and crime is low.

“It is a very dangerous thing to grow up in the UK. Under Sharia law, people will be educated about the harm and evils of alcohol, promiscuity, homosexuality.”