Thursday, January 12 2006 10:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: An Asian Muslim police officer yesterday (Jan 11, 2006) alleged that he was racially abused while undergoing training as a recruit in London's Metropolitan Police, telling a tribunal that he was 'singled out' and had to suffer racist jokes.

Zaheer Zamir, 28, of Walthamstow, east London, said he was discriminated against while at the Metropolitan Police school in Hendon, north London.

He was the only Asian Muslim in his class and was 'singled out' and 'made to feel different,' Zamir alleged in a written statement to an employment tribunal in Stratford, east London, the BBC reported. The police deny the claims.

Zamir complained he was told to shave his beard off or grow it fully, which he said would be in contravention of his religious beliefs. He claims on one occasion an instructor ran a finger down his face in front of classmates to emphasise that he was not clean-shaven.

"I was offended and embarrassed and felt sick to my stomach," Zamir said.

"When I recount my experiences to others it only seeks to dissuade others in my community from entering the police services. I doubt such complaints would have been made or even mentioned to me if I was a white probationer."

In another incident, Zamir said, a training officer made a racist joke on Muslims in front of other trainees. He also claimed that he was 'back classed' and forced to retrain because of prejudicial attitudes towards him.

The hearing is expected to last at least two weeks.