The National Union of Students has warned against allowing a ¡°climate of fear¡± to develop on UK campuses amid claims that a Nigerian man suspected of attempting to bomb a US passenger jet was radicalised while studying in the UK.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who allegedly tried to blow up an aeroplane over Detroit on Christmas Day, is a former engineering and business student at University College London. He graduated in 2008 and is reported to have been president of UCL¡¯s Islamic Society in 2006-07.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Douglas Murray, head of the right-wing think-tank Centre for Social Cohesion, claims that by studying at UCL, Mr Abdulmutallab ¡°could hardly have found a place more conducive to his views¡±.

He adds: ¡°British universities have been a hub of the global Islamic terror threat for more than a decade.¡±

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Meanwhile, The Express ran an opinion piece by Stephen Pollard, editor of The Jewish Chronicle, claiming that ¡°the role of British universities in breeding and fomenting extremism is one of our country¡¯s most shameful secrets¡±.

In a statement issued in response to the claims, Wes Streeting, president of the NUS, said it was important not to rush to conclusions before the findings of any investigation were known.

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He said: ¡°We remain vigilant and concerned by the threat posed by violent extremism, including the serious ¨C though not widespread ¨C problem we face on some UK campuses.

¡°We must not allow recent events to generate a climate of fear and intimidation on our campuses, particularly for the overwhelming majority of Muslim students who are appalled by violent extremism.¡±

On December, UCL¡¯s department of mechanical engineering released a statement saying that it admitted students solely on the basis of their academic abilities ¡°without regard to a person¡¯s political, racial or religious background¡±.

It continues: ¡°During his time on the course, Mr Abdulmutallab never gave his tutors any cause for concern, and was a well mannered, quietly spoken, polite and able young man. We are deeply shocked by the recent news concerning him.

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¡°The department is currently co-operating with the authorities in their investigations, and as such cannot issue any further information covering Mr Abdulmutallab¡¯s period at UCL.¡±

Malcolm Grant, president and provost of UCL, issued a statement saying that the university was ¡°deeply saddened¡± by news of the attempted attack.

¡°This is a university founded on equality and religious tolerance, and strongly committed today to respect for human rights. We are co-operating fully with the authorities in their further investigations,¡± the statement says.

* Malcolm Grant will address the claims that UK universities are allowing students to be radicalised in an opinion piece on the Times Higher Education website tomorrow.

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rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com