AN Islamic group threatening to march through Wootton Bassett has been branded ‘twisted’ and accused of hatemongering’ by Muslim leaders in Oxford.

The town has become renow-ned for its public tributes to British service personnel killed in Afghanistan.

Hundreds of people also line Headley Way in Oxford as the bodies are taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital for post mortems.

Preacher Anjem Choudary said 500 members of Islam4UK planned to carry empty coffins through the Wiltshire town to symbolise the Muslims ‘mercilessly murdered’ in Iraq and Afghanistan. No date for the march has been set.

County councillor Altaf Khan, who represents Headington and Marston, said: “I don’t recognise these people as Muslims. They are un-Islamic. I am at every repatriation ceremony in Oxford, like so many people from a range of cultures, because I support men and women of the British Armed services.

“Although I oppose the war, these people are only doing their jobs. People should take out their grievances on the Government, not brave servicemen and women.

“These people are just part of an extremist group out to cause trouble.

“They should be banned from doing this.”

The bodies of two soldiers killed by explosions in Afghanistan were the latest servicemen repatriated yesterday.

Sapper David Watson, of 33 Engineer Regiment, died on New Year’s Eve, and Rifleman Aidan Howell, of 3rd Battalion the Rifles, was killed on December 28. Their cortege passed along Headley Way.

Dr Taj Hargey, chairman of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford (Meco), said the group should not be banned from marching because Britain is a “democratic country”.

But he added: “This is a crass publicity stunt by a miniscule group that has a proven track record of empty bravado and hatemongering which serves only to alienate the general public from British Muslims.

“Meco is truly appalled that a handful of Muslims, who are inspired by a twisted ideology, have sullied the good name of responsible and productive UK Muslims and have aggravated social tensions in our country. We will do whatever is right and legal to ensure that these fringe fanatics do not besmirch the uplifting way Wootton Bassett honours the fallen.”

Dr Hargey said he was looking to organise a counter-demonstration that would “far outnumber this tiny band of religious militants”.