Young Muslims leaving Scottish prisons could be recruited by radical terrorist organisations, according to a leading academic.

Gabriele Marranci also warned efforts by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to try to prevent Muslim inmates being turned into extremists while behind bars are having the opposite effect. Dr Marranci, a lecturer in anthropolgy and religion at Aberdeen University, spent four years researching and said the widely-held belief Muslims were being radicalised by imams while in prison was unfounded.

"On the contrary, my findings suggest they (imams) are extremely important in preventing dangerous forms of extremism. However, the distrust they face, both internally and externally, is jeopardising their important function."

He said, like many prisoners who took an interest in religion while in prison, Muslims took an interest in Islam. His study revealed Muslim prisoners have stricter security than other inmates, especially when they adopt religious symbols such as beards, veils and caps.

Dr Marranci claims policies within prisons, including restricting praying in a communal space or reading the Koran during work breaks, are exacerbating rather than suppressing radicalisation.

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said Dr Marranci's study was positive about the SPS.