THE president of Kyrgyzstan has said women can become radicalised by wearing Islamic dress.

Almazbek Atambayev has tried to dissuade women in the country from dressing in hijabs, niqabs and burkas saying: "Our women have been wearing miniskirts since 1950s, and they never thought about wearing an explosive belt."

3 President Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan has said Islamic dress can radicalise women Credit: TASS

His comments come after several weeks of controversy following a government sponsored campaign to discourage Kyrgyz women from dressing in Islamic garb amid fears of the "Arabisation" of the country.

Banners across Kyrgyzstan have been erected showing women in the nation's traditional clothing contrasted with women in niqabs and burkas captioned: "Poor people! Where are we heading to?"

Many people in the mainly Muslim country have been outraged by the campaign and pointed out that the traditional Kyrgyz "elchek" head dress is almost as conservative as the hijab.

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Atambayev said:"When we erected banners some smart people appeared and started pointing at miniskirts.

"Our women have been wearing miniskirts since 1950s, and they never thought about wearing an explosive belt.

"You can wear even tarpaulin boots on your head, but do not organise bombings. This is not religion.

"Let them wear even miniskirts but there must not be any blasts.

3 The president of the mainly Muslim country has spoken out over the 'Arabisation' of the nation Credit: Getty Images

3 Atambayev said: 'Let them wear even miniskirts but there must not be any blasts' Credit: Getty Images

He added: "Terrorists are insane people. Clothes also can change one's thoughts sometimes.

"When we were searching for prisoners who had escaped a detention centre, Melis Turganbayev (the former interior minister) came to me and said that they had been eavesdropping on telephone conversations of wives and mistresses of criminals.

"Their wives and mistresses wore sacks on their heads and they wanted to organise bombings.

"If you do not like Kyrgyzstan you can leave our country and go wherever you want.

"We can pay your travel expenses, even to Syria."

The final comment is a reference to claims around 350 Kyrgyz citizens our fighting with jihadi groups in the country.

In 2014 President Atambayev said that it was not the Islamic traditions he had a problem with but more "Arabisation of society [and the] deprivation of the Kyrgyz nation of its language and traditions".