Radical Islamic cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed today denied that he has urged British Muslims to take up arms and join al-Qaeda.

Mr Bakri Mohammed, 46, has been using webcasts to address his followers nightly, espousing his view that Britain has become Dar ul-Harb (a land of war) for the Muslim community. He has pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and is said to have told his listeners that they are "obliged" to join al-Qaeda and the Mujahidin.

But Mr Bakri Mohammed, who has a history of making apparently contradictory statements, told GMTV he was not urging his followers to join Osama bin Laden’s terror network. "That’s not true," he said. "Definitely I have very strong beliefs and maybe some controversial views."

He said he was giving examples of groups "not necessarily a call inciting people to take any actions". Mr Bakri Mohammed added: "It’s part of a discussion."

Scotland Yard detectives have begun a new inquiry into the activities of Mr Bakri Mohammed after details of his inflammatory internet sermons were disclosed by The Times this week.

Mr Bakri Mohammed said certain words he had used had been misunderstood. He said: "The word jihad always for you it means fighting and military fighting. Jihad is.. also to look for a good job, to look for a better wife, to study, even to fight. And the word weapon...ask any Muslims...it doesn’t mean always fighting."

The Syrian-born preacher and father of seven has lived in the UK on state benefits since 1986 after being deported from Saudi Arabia for of his membership of a banned group.

The Home Office has given him leave to remain in the UK for five years but is reviewing his status. Last year he sparked outrage by suggesting that an attack on a British school, as happened in Beslan, Russia, would be justified as long as women and children were not deliberately killed and only died in crossfire. He once praised the 9/11 hijackers as the "magnificent 19".

Mr Bakri Mohammed described his webcasts as "private" and said his remarks had been taken out of context. He said: "If the people think my views are really offending they should not come to my private house, in my private room, in private time speaking in the internet. If you want to bring it up publicly, please don’t take it out of context."

But he added: "Understand the frustrations of the Muslim community. They are going to retaliate."

He went on: "I don’t believe in integration. I believe in respect and dialogue and debate. I have the right to express my anger from time to time."

Meanwhile, a leading Saudi cleric warned Muslims on the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca against heeding militant calls to wage terror attacks in the name of Islam.

Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sudeis told pilgrims in a sermon to mark the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha that scholars must preach moderation to confront this "putrid" phenomenon.

The state-appointed preacher at the Grand Mosque in Mecca said militants were using "misguided and void" interpretations to justify violence. He said: "Because Muslims have strayed from moderation, we are now suffering from this dangerous phenomenon of branding people infidels and inciting Muslims to rise against their leaders to cause instability.

"The reason for this is a delinquent and void interpretation of Islam based on ignorance ... faith does not mean killing Muslims or non-Muslims who live among us. It does not mean shedding blood, terrorising or sending body parts flying."

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