PLANS to encourage Muslim women to attend leadership courses as part of the battle against extremism have been backed by Blackburn MP Jack Straw.

But Muslim leaders are cautious about the Government proposals, aimed at allowing women to play a key role in their communities.

Under plans proposed by Communities Sec-retary Hazel Blears, Muslim women will attend leadership courses in a bid to stop youngsters becoming involved in extremist activity.

The Government will tell local authorities to use part of their funding to help promote the scheme, which would include Muslim women having work experience with business leaders to boost assertiveness.

It could also see discussion groups where "the silent majority" could share concerns with other people and become more involved in their community.

Mr Straw caused a storm around the world two years ago when he told the Lancashire Telegraph that Muslim women wearing veils were an obstacle to community cohesion and revealed that he asked them if they would remove them when they attended his surgery.

He said: "Muslim women play a really important role in society and this initiative will give them a stronger voice in their communities.

"This follows Muslim women telling us themselves that they want more opportunity to spread the influence they hold within their communities as sisters, mothers and friends. We want to radically expand our work in this area."

But East Lancashire religious chiefs quest-ioned the Government's approach and the aims of the scheme.

Anjum Anwar, dialogue development worker at Blackburn Cathedral, said: "Empowering women is a good thing but what are we training them to be?

"Do mothers need to be taught to know where their children are or who they are mixing with?

"They should be doing that anyway. If the programme is training them to be good parents I'm all for it but I'm not convinced it is the way forward.

"Things seem to be getting sillier."

Abdul Qureshi, chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques, said he believed any scheme needed a wider focus.

He added: "It's not just about extremism. If they can show how to raise children and develop the community and show what the issues are within the community then it could be positive.

"All these things are very important, not just one issue.

"All sections of the community require development but I think any one proposal will have difficulty."