CANBERRA, Aug. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday said Australia's Islamic schools and mosques will be scrutinized if necessary to prevent terrorism preaching.

    Howard made the remarks when asked on Australia's Southern Cross radio that if he was prepared to "get inside" mosques and schools to ensure there was no support for terrorism.

    "I have no desire and nor is it the government's intention to interfere in any way with the freedom or practice of religion," hesaid.

    "We have a right to know whether there is within any section of the Islamic community a preaching of the virtues of terrorism, whether any comfort or harbor is given to terrorism within that community," he said.

    "Now, it's very hard for a government or any of its agencies to penetrate every aspect of life and we don't want to interfere withpeople's enjoyment of life -- and bear in mind the overwhelming majority of Australians of the Islamic faith are good, loyal, upright, decent, committed Australian citizens and I don't want them to feel strangers in what they regard as their own country," he said.

    "Equally, if people are not willing to give their first loyalty to this country then they obviously must understand that that will arouse enormous concern within the rest of the Australian community," said Howard.

    "It is a question of striking a balance and I believe enlisting the support and the goodwill of the people I spoke to yesterday was a very valuable framework and a very valuable first step," he said.

    Education is one of the key issues discussed at a meeting between Howard and Muslim leaders here on Tuesday with the aim of promoting tolerance and dealing with extremists preaching in Muslim communities.

    Australian Labor Party, the country's largest opposition party,also raised the importance of education, saying education must be used as part of the war on terrorism, and educating young people about understanding and tolerance was the key to deal with extremism. Enditem