Now TWELVE schools are being investigated by Ofsted amid claims hard-line Muslims are trying to indoctrinate pupils

Department for Education widens probe to include 12 Birmingham schools

Radical Muslims are accused of imposing Islamic values on pupils

Local MP warns that hard-line Salafi Muslims are 'indoctrinating' children from mainstream Islamic families

Suggests officials have been wary of investigating because of racism fears



Warning: Khalid Mahmood MP has spoken of his fears that Muslim pupils are being indoctrinated by extremists at Birmingham schools

Extremist Muslims are trying to indoctrinate pupils at a dozen state schools in Birmingham, it has been claimed.

Local MP Khalid Mahmood warned of the risk posed by religious radicals as it emerged that education authorities had widened their investigation into the allegations to include more than 12 different schools.



In some schools non-Muslim teachers are reported to have been sidelined by Islamic extremists, who have allegedly imposed halal food in canteens and abolished sex education classes.



The claims first came to light last month, when a letter referring to a 'Trojan Horse' plot to take over Birmingham schools was leaked to the Press, although its authenticity is unclear.



Park View Academy was downgraded from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate' after allegedly being infiltrated by extremists, while the non-Muslim headmaster of Saltley School claims he was forced out of his job.



Education Secretary Michael Gove is believed to have taken a personal interest in the investigation, which includes both faith schools and secular establishments.



A source told the Sunday Times: 'Michael Gove has ordered an all-embracing investigation and has asked a number of department officials to drop everything and just focus on this.



'They will be going through financial records and interviewing staff members at more than 12 schools in Birmingham.'



Investigation: Park View School is one of a dozen believed to be subject to an official probe

Mr Mahmood, the MP for Perry Barr in Birmingham, has called for a thorough investigation into the scandal.



He said that some of the schools were run by members of the ultra-conservative Salafi sect, who may be 'trying to import their views into classrooms and the day-to-day running of the school'.



Mr Mahmood added: 'The majority of kids are Sunni mainstream Muslims. It is an attempt at indoctrination.

'These are state schools, not Islamic. I am very concerned at the way non-Muslim staff have been dealt with and the effect on the children.'



The Labour MP, who chairs the Tackling Terrorism All-Party Parliamentary Group, welcomed the intervention by the Department for Education and Ofsted.



He suggested that education officials had previously steered clear of getting involved in disputes with Muslim schools for fear of being dubbed racist.

