A NEW YORK born lecturer told to take down a wanted poster for terrorist leader Osama bin Laden has received a number of supportive messages from Prestonians.

In an article in last week's Citizen Dr Richard Berg called for equal rights after an anti-war demonstration was held on the campus the day after he was told to remove the poster from his office door.

Now Dr Berg has received support from Muslims on the campus, despite University bosses saying minority students could be offended.

Richard, 54, said: "I have been getting eight or ten e-mails a day supporting me, but not a single one against me. I have even had five Muslim students get in touch to support me saying Osama bin Laden is violating the Koran and should be brought to justice."

The support has come as a surprise for Dr Berg, in England while his two sons are serving in the American army. He said: "One lady even brought me some American-style chocolate chip cookies. I had just driven up onto my driveway and she came up and asked if I was Dr Berg and said she had some biscuits for me.

"A former policeman has contacted me to offer his help if I get any threats, and a lawyer has offered some legal advice."

Now Richard says he is unlikely to lose his job over the feud with University bosses.

He said: "I've had a chat with the powers that be. They haven't indicated to me that this is going to be a problem and I don't think it will be.

"Every single person I've talked to has been supportive. I work into the night quite a lot of the time, and every time I get to the building even the security guards say something to me."

A spokesman for the University of Central Lancashire said: "The University understands and sympathises with Dr Berg's personal situation. At a time when the University has been seeking to maintain calm relations among its community, it is unfortunate that political and social sensitivities have been inflamed by being brought into the public arena in this way."

bhewes@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk