A SO-CALLED "snooper's charter" - to allow security services to track people's use of the web, phones and social media - will widen the breach between the State and the Muslim community, according to a Bradford councillor.

Writing for the human rights group, Just West Yorkshire, Councillor Ishtiaq Ahmed, said there was widespread unease within communities about the proposals.

And he said Home Secretary Theresa May's Investigatory Powers Bill would not have stopped two Bradford families apparently fleeing to Syria to join Islamic State.

In early October, Imran Ameen, 39, and his wife Farzana, 40, left Bradford with their five children, aged between five and 15. They were believed to be in Turkey and heading for Syria.

Four months earlier, three sisters - Khadija, Sugra and Zohra Dawood, all in their 30s, and their nine children, aged between three and 15 - were thought to have made the same journey.

West Yorkshire Police said it was continuing its inquiries into the missing families.

Cllr Ahmed (Bradford Independent Group, Manningham) said the "aggressive" implementation of the Government's Prevent agenda, aimed at stopping radicalisation, had led to the "demonisation" of Muslims.

He wrote: "British Muslims should not be held responsible for the actions of a few extremists, and neither should they be forced to police their own neighbours and friends."

But he said British Muslims had an active role to play in starving IS of new recruits.

Cllr Ahmed added: "If Parliament approves this ill-thought out legislation, we all collectively stand to lose our civil liberties and human rights under cover of the so-called 'war on terror.'"

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the aim of Prevent was to "safeguard those who are vulnerable and to prevent them being drawn into terrorism or violent extremism; it is not there to stigmatise people.

"Everybody has a responsibility in helping to prevent people from considering travelling to Syria or other war zones, in particular those who know them well and interact with them on a regular basis," said the spokesman.

"It is vital that if early signs of, or vulnerabilities to, radicalisation are seen they are brought to the attention of agencies who can intervene and offer the right advice and support.

"In July, Prevent became a statutory duty, ensuring more public bodies have a legal responsibility to help stop people being drawn into terrorism.

"Everyone has a role to play and partnership working is critical to the success of the Prevent initiative.

"West Yorkshire Police continues to look to forge new partnerships with more agencies to safeguard and support vulnerable individuals to help achieve our aim of protecting the public from violent extremism and terrorism."

Mrs May told Parliament the new powers were necessary to keep people safe and secure. She said the counter-extremism strategy was saying the Government wanted to work with people in communities and encourage mainstream voices.