A FORMER Islamic radical from Westcliff has been selected to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats in London.

Maajid Nawaz, 35, a former Westcliff High School for Boys student, was jailed in Egypt, in 2002, while a member of radical group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

After his release in 2006, he turned his back on radicalism and founded the Quilliam Foundation, a think tank which fights the radicalisation of young Muslims and promotes religious freedom, equality, human rights and democracy.

He has since described Hizb ut-Tahrir as an extremist group which should be challenged.

He has now been named as parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems for the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency.

He said: “Following my confirmation as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, I am looking forward to running for public office.

“Quilliam will remain a priority for me because its values shape my beliefs and outlook.”

He added on Twitter: “I’m overwhelmed by the response, thank you!

“I intend to run a high-energy, highly visible & positive campaign for the LibDems in Hampstead & Kilburn.”

Mr Nawaz also said on Friday he was assembling a campaign team which included record producers, former members of the far-right English Defence League and “youth in Pakistan”.

The Lib Dems came within 1,000 votes of winning the seat at the 2010 election in a threeway battle between them, Labour and the Conservatives.

Mr Nawaz told the Echo in June that being the target of racist attacks while growing up in Westcliff made him distant from his white friends and led to him having a chance meeting with a Hizb ut-Tahrir member.