The president of Middlesex University's student union was suspended indefinitely as a student on Tuesday after refusing to cancel a debate with a Muslim organisation the Government wants to ban.

Michael Driscoll, the university's vice-chancellor told Keith Shilson on Monday, to withdraw the union's invitation to Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) to take part in a Question Time' at its campus in The Burroughs, Hendon, otherwise the meeting would be banned.

But Mr Shilson, a final-year politics and history student refused, saying there was no evidence to suggest the group whose name translates as party of liberation' is linked to terrorism. He was escorted off the premises by security staff.

The university said it was taking this step in light of concerns over the organisation's reputation for extremist views.

A university spokeswoman said: "The university does not rule out entirely that Hizb ut-Tahrir might be invited to take part in a debate in the future, but would only agree to this happening if it could be assured that Hizb ut-Tahrir were now a moderate organisation operating within the law and rejecting extremist views." She said that the university was concerned about the risk of disorder if such a meeting took place. The union, however, has decided to move the meeting, scheduled for next Wednesday, to its union building in Bramley Road, Trent Park, Enfield.

A defiant Mr Shilson said: "I think it's completely outrageous that the university finds it acceptable to clamp down on free speech, especially in a university where the discussion of ideas is encouraged. They have not suspended me as president of the union, but as a student, and have said they may take disciplinary action.

"All I have done is defend policy by the union and they have no right to prevent me from being president. I have asked the union executive to ask for my immediate reinstatement."

He denied that HT is a violent organisation and said the group had made clear the July 7 bombings were not allowed under Islam.

"We can either stand with the Government and increase and exacerbate racism or we can show solidarity with the Muslim community and their civil liberties," Mr Shilson said.

HT is an international organisation which believes that Western democracy is not compatible with Islam and seeks the establishment of a caliphate, an Islamic state, across the Middle East.

It is already outlawed in many parts of the world, and has also been banned by the National Union of Students in this country.