Britain faces a sustained threat from extremist Islamic groups recruiting in British universities, the Government warned today.

Releasing new guidance designed to root out suspected terror cells, Bill Rammell, the higher education minister, said there was evidence that undergraduates were being "groomed" by groups infiltrating campuses disguised as ordinary students.

The document, released to all universities today, warns lecturers to be vigilant of students suspected of circulating extremist literature and extremist speakers visiting campuses.

It outlines a series of "scenarios" based on real events reported by university and college staff to illustrate the kind of threat being posed.

This includes a teacher who found pamphlets with titles such as "Who is a legitimate target?" and "From Jihad to a new world order" and a tutor who had been approached by students concerned about a speaker delivering a talk entitled "Terrorist or freedom fighter?"...

...Mr Rammell said: "This guidance provides a recognition - that I believe must be faced squarely - that violent extremism in the name of Islam is a real, credible and sustained threat to the UK, and that there is evidence of serious, but not widespread, Islamic extremist activity in higher education institutions."

He denied that it amounted to an attempt to target the Muslim community, but said that universities had to take "their responsibilities for the safety of their staff and students very seriously"...

...The British Muslim Forum, an umbrella group affiliated to almost 300 mosques, welcomed the guidance and said that the "radicalism of Muslim youths" on campuses needed to be tackled.

A spokesman said: "We would, however, strongly urge the Government to consider issuing similar guidance on tackling anti-Muslim extremism of the far right, as this would reinforce the Government's resolve to tackle all forms of extremism."

Universities UK also praised the guidance but said warnings should be "focussed on all kinds of extremism, not just on extremism in the name of Islam".