British PM riles Muslims

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron has angered Muslim groups by saying multiculturalism has fostered Islamic extremism and terrorism.

Speaking Friday at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Cameron said attempts at a multicultural society in Britain had failed for young Muslims and created a "weakening of our collective identity," the Financial Times reported.

He said there had been too much tolerance of some Muslim groups in Britain.

"So let's properly judge these organizations," he said. "Do they believe in universal human rights -- including for women and people of other faiths? Do they believe in equality of all before the law? Do they believe in democracy and the right of people to elect their own government?"

Cameron, a Conservative, told the conference the status quo wasn't working.

"Frankly, we need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism," he said.

The Muslim Council of Britain's assistant secretary general, Dr. Faisal Hanjra, told the BBC the government was being prejudicial.

"Again it just seems the Muslim community is very much in the spotlight, being treated as part of the problem as opposed to part of the solution," Hanjra said.