Young Muslims at an anti-radicalism conference in Bradford have condemned the planned march by a controversial Islamic group at Wootton Bassett.

Minhaj-ul-Quran International UK’s Muslim Youth League urged extremists to stop promoting hatred at the conference, held at the Manningham Mills Community Centre.

The conference was attended by more than 200 university students.

The announcement came after Islam4UK said it would apply to Wiltshire Police to march through the town famous for honouring dead British troops, despite calls for it to be called off.

The group has said the march is to campaign for the withdrawal of British troops.

Speaking at the conference MYL leader Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri said: “Extremism has no religion and people who have an extremist and political agenda do not represent the British Muslims in the UK.

“This march only fuels hate crime against innocent young British Muslims. Effects of capitalism and poverty increases frustration which has some proven links to promote radicalism.”

MYL UK president Tahseen Khalid said: “We have organised this conference to discuss the roots of extremist behaviour among British Muslims.

“We have organised such conference at four UK universities to invite young people to listen to an alternative moderate view.

“The final seminar will take place at Queen Mary University in London.”

Minhaj-ul-Quran International was founded by Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in 1981 with a long-term strategic vision to promote religious moderation, peace, love, harmony and modern Islamic sciences.

Shahid Mursaleen, spokesman for Minhuj-ul-Quran UK, said: “I believe extremists are created at universities as they are active among students.

“We invite extremists such as Anjem Choudary for an open dialogue to discuss their concerns and resolve them peacefully.

“Minhaj-ul-Quran has launched a campaign to stop extremists recruiting young students from British universities for their radical agendas.”

MPs from across the House of Commons have signed a motion urging action by the Home Secretary and local authorities to prevent the march, which they said would be “a gross mark of disrespect” to soldiers who have died or been injured.

The motion, tabled by Tory Nigel Evans, calls on Home Secretary Alan Johnson to “urgently investigate the breaching of public order and other related offence” and urges Wootton Bassett Town Council and Wiltshire Police “to ensure that any proposed demonstration that breaches the Public Order Act 1986 be rightly refused”.