British Islamic leaders today defended a Muslim woman police constable who refused to shake hands with her force's chief because of her beliefs.

The Metropolitan Police officer declined to have any physical contact with Commissioner Sir Ian Blair at a passing-out ceremony for newly-qualified recruits.

But Scotland Yard said it would not normally tolerate such requests and indicated that the officer, who has not been named, could be fired if she failed to fulfil her duties.

A police spokeswoman said: "The officer maintains that she puts the requirements of being a police officer above her personal beliefs and only exercises the latter when she has choice to do so.

Scotland Yard said Sir Ian, Britain's top policeman, had questioned the validity of the woman's refusal to shake his hand at the ceremony, held to mark the end of an 18-week recruit training course.

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said the "overwhelming majority" of practising Muslims would avoid physical contact with a member of the opposite sex unless they were closely related.

But he added that those employed as police officers or doctors, for example, would not have a problem with touching people in order to fulfil their duties.

"If she has to resuscitate that dying person, Muslim law will then change and allow her all sorts of physical contact because a life is at risk and life is so precious.

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