ISLAMABAD, July 20 (Xinhuanet) -- In a country-wide crackdown upon religious extremists, the Pakistani government has detained around140 clerics and students of religious schools or madrassas in the wake of July 7 London bombings.

    The police conducted raids in a swoop that began Tuesday night and continued Wednesday, following intense international pressure and an order by President General Pervez Musharraf to curb the activities of banned sectarian outfits and extremists by December.

    The raids came 12 days after the multiple bomb attacks in London in which 56 persons were killed and three of the four suspected bombers were identified as Britons of Pakistani origin.

    Speaking in London on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was anxious to see a crack down on Islamic schools in Pakistan where extremist views might be encouraged.

    US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also called President Musharraf Tuesday evening and discussed security issues and the government's latest drive against extremism and terrorism.

    Commander-in-chief of the US Central Command General John P. Abizaid is on a two-day visit to discuss ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

    Security forces in the federal capital alone raided eight seminaries. Police fired tear gas shells and baton-charged students protesting against the arrests and raids on the religious institutions.

    Over 40 persons were rounded up including Mufti Abrar, personal secretary to Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and key leader of Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six religious groups.

    President Musharraf has directed senior police officials in Islamabad to move firmly against spread of hate material, collection of donations, display of arms and holding of gatheringsby outlawed organizations.

    Police confiscated hundreds of publications, audio and video cassettes and CDs considered to fan sectarian hatred, officials said.

    Musharraf banned six extremist and sectarian organizations in January 2002 as part of the government's efforts to curb sectarianism and militancy. Some of the organizations continued to operate under new names.

    Police also swooped across the country's North West Frontier Province and arrested 41 persons from religious schools, provincial officials told Xinhua.

    "It is part of our efforts to crack down on militants who might be involved in sectarian or extremist activities or are in any way related to the happenings in London," a senior official requesting anonymity said. 

    According to government officials only a very small fraction of the country's estimated 10,000 madrassas are breeding grounds for extremism, and the government has been implementing a long term policy since early 2003 for their reform.

    The schools house thousands of young children from poor families, unable to feed or educate their children. They are provided boarding and lodging and imparted religious and some regular education and are funded by public donations.

    Musharraf plans to address the nation sometime this week on the new drive against extremists and is also likely to make a statement on the London bombings.

    Pakistan came in the spotlight following reports that three of the four London bombers traveled to the country last year and at least one of them stayed in a Islamic seminary before returning to London in February 2005.

    Addressing a gathering of youth from across the country on Monday, Musharraf said extremist elements were destroying the enlightened face of Islam and Pakistan. "Terrorism in the name of Islam --launching bomb attacks in London in the name of Islam-- is not Islam," he said.

    "Stand up and launch a jihad (holy war) against extremism and ajihad for peace, brotherhood and unity in the society," he told the young students.

    However not everyone in Pakistan shares the view that religious schools are to blame for the London bombings.

    President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and former Prime Minister Ch. Shujaat Hussain said individual acts of some must not be attributed to any country.

    And Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram told BBC Radio that Britain should instead look into its own failure to integrate the Muslims. "It is important not to pin blame on somebody else when the problem lies internally," he said.

    He also rejected reports that one of the suspects Shehzad Tanweer had been turned into a terrorist during a visit earlier this year to an Islamic religious school or madrassa in Lahore.

    He attributed the incident to British policies in the Middle East and the Islamic world.

    "Brainwashing is a long process. You can not brainwash somebody instantly unless he is inclined to be brainwashed. Rather, it was the years spent in Britain that transformed them into the UK's first suicide bombers," he said. Enditem