A FORMER Bury College student, who has warned of new terrorist attacks in Britain and America, is being investigated by intelligence chiefs.

Hassan Butt claims to have recruited more than 200 British Muslims to fight for the Taliban regime with many prepared to launch fresh terror attacks on their return to the country.

Speaking from his new home in Lahore, Pakistan, Butt said he would personally encourage attacks on political and military leaders and government buildings in Britain.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday (Jan 7) that many of the British Muslims who fought alongside Taliban forces in Afghanistan were now in Pakistan "organising operations".

He added: "If they do return I do believe they will take military action within Britain. The 22-year-old militant, who hails from Prestwich, also boasted how he slipped through British security to return home for three weeks in December. He tried and failed to sell his story of his experiences recruiting British Muslims for Osama bin Laden to a national newspaper for £100,000.

Born in Luton, Butt and his family moved to Prestwich when he was three. He studied for a time at both Prestwich High School and Bury College.

In May of last year, he emigrated from England to Pakistan.

As well as recruiting British Muslims to fight the Taliban cause, Butt also claims to have helped more than 1,000 Taliban soldiers escape from Afghanistan into Pakistan.

Since his comments on the radio, Muslim organisations in Britain have distanced themselves from Butt.

Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, a spokesman for the al-Muhajiroun group based in London, said Butt was no longer linked to the organisation.

He added: "In what he is doing he does not have our support. He no longer even exists in our offices in Lahore. He is now, I think personally, functioning as an individual or has his own organisation."

And Dr Ghayasauddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, said Butt's comments were "more fantasy than realism".

The Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin described Butt's support for the Taliban as "traitorous".

Downing Street is treating Butt's claims with caution while the Home Office said it was aware of Hassan Butt and other people who claim to be actively recruiting and said it was something for the police to investigate and bring prosecutions where necessary if there was any real evidence of any terrorist activity.