The president of the National Union of Students has caused fury among many after laying out her concerns on Islamophobia in the UK without mentioning the policeman who was murdered in the Westminster attack, in a statement on Wednesday's bloodshed.

In a press release on Friday Malia Bouattia, who was elected as the NUS leader in 2016, paid a brief tribute to the four victims of the terror raid at the beginning of the statement.

However she used the bulk of the letter to urge students to 'be aware of the concerns of Muslim, migrant and racialised students in the days and weeks ahead.'

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The president of the National Union of Students Malia Bouattia

The 30-year-old wrote: 'I also want to extend our solidarity to the many Muslims and migrants who at this time will be especially fearful of racism and abuse.

'We must stand firm against all attempts to stoke up Islamophobia or intolerance against migrants of any nationality, especially at a time of increased hate crime against many communities across society.'

Colonel Richard Kemp, who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans and Northern Ireland and now works as a writer and media commentator, said Ms Bouattia has an 'anti-British agenda.'

Col. Kemp told MailOnline: 'This statement could easily be a parody. Instead of any acknowledgement of the police officers who ended the jihadist rampage that otherwise could have killed or wounded more students, Malia Bouattia predictably uses this horrific event to attack the government's counter-terrorist strategy.

'The very strategy that seeks to prevent such atrocities. She prefers to pontificate about a non-existent 'islamophobic' response than to condemn the attack itself.

'Her statement almost seems to be trying to justify Khalid Masood's actions as a defence of her fantasies about racism and xenophobia.

'All intelligent students who do not share her anti-British agenda should reject this self-serving and misleading statement.'

The Algerian-born graduate also used the statement to underline her political beliefs, stating that such incidents shouldn't encourage politicians to curb immigration numbers and that students must fight against any policy changes that could be forthcoming regarding migration.

She wrote: 'We must also continue to oppose attempts to utilise such events to undermine civil liberties, extend surveillance policies such as Prevent, or to tighten border controls.'

Ms Bouattia concluded her statement, which was published on the NUS website, by urging readers to 'recommit ourselves to building a movement that stands firm against racism and xenophobia.'

Also included in the letter was an apparent step-by-step plan to inform students as to how they can show solidarity with Muslims in the UK and stand-up against racism.

Pedestrians see to an injured person in the aftermath of the attack on Westminster Bridge

Pc Keith Palmer with his wife Michelle. He was murdered by Khalid Masood during the terror attack

She encouraged students to attend vigils 'for unity against division' that are set to be held across the country in the coming days.

The Birmingham University graduated also asked for students to offer support to 'Muslim, migrant and racialised students in the days and weeks ahead' and wrote that 'if you see someone being subject to abuse, please stand with them and intervene if you feel safe to do so.'

Jihadist Khalid Masood mowed into pedestrians while driving a Hyundai 4x4 along Westminster Bridge before attacking Pc Keith Palmer, fatally stabbing him in the head, arm and side of his ribs in Wednesday's attack.

Masood's raid claimed the lives of four people and injured fifty more, with 31 receiving hospital treatment.

Ms Bouattia courted controversy in September 2016 when she refused to apologize for describing Birmingham University as 'something of a Zionist outpost' in an article she co-authored five years ago.

When challenged over the remarks on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme she refused to apologise for them.

Ms Bouattia also defended 'safe space' and 'no-platform' policies in universities amid widespread concerns they are curtailing free speech.

Her election to head of the NUS was met with throngs of objection. The University of Lincoln, Newcastle University, Hull University and Loughborough University all disaffiliated with the body soon after the vote.

Despite malcontent among a section of students the likes of Nottingham, Oxford, Surrey, Exeter, Warwick, Cambridge and Durham universities voted to remain affiliated to the NUS after her election victory.