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A Labour election candidate has apologised for claiming "there is no ISIS" in a string of Facebook posts.

Law student Safia Noor, 25, has been selected as the party's new Small Health ward candidate for next year's Birmingham City Council elections.

But it has emerged the political activist and school governor previously posted 'upsetting' Facebook messages about ISIS and UK terror attacks, the Birmingham Mail reports.

On March 22, Birmingham terrorist Khalid Masood mowed down innocent victims on Westminster bridge - killing four - before stabbing police officer Keith Palmer to death.

That same day, Ms Noor posted publicly on Facebook: "Can people relax and stop fighting on Facebook, sadly people died in Westminster today but people die everyday in Syria Palestine Africa Rohingya Kashmir... Need I carry on?!! Grow up and stop pointing fingers!"

She posted #AdultsPlayingDumb and #UnityNotWar below the message.

(Image: BPM MEDIA)

(Image: BPM MEDIA)

In another message posted the same day only to her followers, Ms Noor said: "Terrorist attack ...and even the terrorist died?! Let me guess, he was a Muslim!"

On March 27, she commented on a Guardian article which carried the headline: "Westminster attacker Khalid Masood had interest in Jihad - police."

Ms Noor posted to her followers: "So someone got stabbed after the attack last week as a result of media and government claiming that SO CALLED ISIS HAD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.

"There is no ISIS and there is no proof."

(Image: BPM MEDIA)

On September 16, 2016, Ms Noor 'liked' on Facebook an article by the Independent which was headlined: "Egyptian state media claims 9/11 was carried out by West to justify war on terror."

The Birmingham Mail phoned Ms Noor about the messages.

Midway through reading them to her, she said: "At this point in time it is not appropriate for me to speak about any of this, simply because I’m in the middle of something."

Ms Noor - who has previously posed for photos with Labour MPs including Yvette Cooper, Jess Philips and Shabana Mahmood - later emailed a statement. She said: "Following your phone call I would like to say:

"Having read these comments back I accept I should have chosen my words more carefully. I didn’t intend to cause any offence and I apologise to anyone who found those comments offensive or upsetting.

"I completely condemn all terrorist acts."

A spokesman for Labour’s local regional office was contacted but declined to comment.

But it is understood the party welcomed Ms Noor's apology.