AN American at the university has slammed bosses who made him remove a 'wanted' poster for Osama bin Laden, but allowed an anti-war rally to go ahead on campus.

Lecturer Richard Berg, 54, who is Jewish and hails from New York, agreed to remove the poster from his office door after bosses at the University of Central Lancashire claimed it might cause "offence to any of the many different ethnic students".

But when he had to endure anti-US chanting from people attending an anti-war rally in the courtyard directly outside his window on the campus, he was shocked.

Richard said: " I feel very strongly about this, I have two children involved. One of my sons is in Afghanistan with the special forces.

"The whole thing has made me very upset. Right across from my office there were people ranting and raving against the US."

Richard, a forensic psychology lecturer, said the poster he put up was the official FBI wanted poster of Osama bin Laden. After the rally he put it back up, but was told to take it down again. He said: "The poster gives his description and says he is wanted for murder. That is it. It does not mention Islam or Muslim.

"I'm not asking for the people holding the rally to be silenced. I come from the States, where there is an absolute right of freedom of speech. That is their right, but don't silence me. I just want a level playing field."

A spokesman for the University of Central Lancashire said: "The psychology lecturer was asked to put the wanted poster inside his office rather than outside on the door to avoid offence to any of the many different ethnic students on campus.

"The decision about the meeting was not taken lightly but sanctioned by the National Union of Students.

"The management of the University of Central Lancashire take the view that open debate was healthy and appropriate in a University context.

"However had they believed that the meeting would have led to disorder it would not have been permitted."