A MUSLIM scholar says terrorism has no religion and no place in Islam.

Dr Mahmood Chandia spoke at a meeting of Bolton Interfaith Council, saying Islam scorned terrorism, although he said it does permit self-defence.

Dr Chandia is a high-profile speaker who teaches at the University of Central Lancashire.

He was the first student at the Islamic College in Bury to gain a PhD.

At the council's monthly meeting at the St George's Centre, he took the group, which consisted of around 20 people from various religions, through terrorist groups around the world, including Spanish group ETA, the IRA in Northern Ireland and the Nazis in World War Two.

He said terrorism had changed with technology and world events but that Islam did not condone terrorism.

Dr Chandia, who is the executive director of the Lancashire Council of Mosques and a volunteer at the Bolton Council of Mosques, said: "Islam is not a violent religion.

"However, it does have a mechanism of self defence. It does permit a person to defend themselves, their families and their communities."

He added, if peace was offered, it should be accepted.

He went on to discuss the BNP and how it distorts passages taken from sacred Islamic scriptures.