The Islam Channel founded and run by Mohamed Ali Harrath, who is wanted by Interpol, is watched by 59 per cent of Britain’s 1.6 million Muslims, according to government research disclosed to The Times.

As a senior executive of a television channel in Britain – it has offices in the City of London and studios in the West End – Mr Harrath has potential influence over an important section of the community. He insists that he is a man of peace, but questions remain about his past because he and the political movement that he founded have attracted attention from the authorities in several countries.

On Mr Harrath’s instructions, his solicitors, Carter-Ruck, wrote to Interpol last December to request removal of a red notice — the organisation’s highest level of alert – which was issued in 1992. “Interpol has given no indication whatsoever of when a decision can be expected,” the lawyers said. The Interpol notice lists Mr Harrath’s alleged offences as: “Counterfeiting/forgery, crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives, terrorism.”

Mr Harrath is wanted by his native Tunisia, but documents have also emerged from Western countries.

In November 2001, the US Treasury Department’s general counsel, David Aufhauser, wrote to Swiss officials – a letter that has been seen by The Times. It outlined suspected Islamic terrorist links with the Tunisian Islamic Front (FIT), the organisation that Mr Harrath says that he founded as a peaceful opposition movement. Mr Harrath was described by the Americans as the FIT’s leader in London although he is adamant that the FIT had ceased to exist before 2000.

The Times has also seen a Spanish court document that loosely links Mr Harrath to a group allegedly planning an underwater attack, backed by al-Qaeda, on Western interests.

Interpol insisted that its red notices were properly assessed and never automatically published on demand. Martin Cox, Interpol’s assistant director for fugitive investigative support, said: “An Interpol red notice is an extremely valuable tool to police in locating and arresting fugitives and for restricting the travel of dangerous criminals and terrorists. It is for this reason that the Interpol general secretariat follows a structured and stringent process before authorising the issue of a red notice.”

A total of 453 people are subject to red notices, with alleged offences ranging from serious crime and child kidnapping to terrorism. Nine Britons, including Lord Lucan, are on the list.

Mr Harrath arrived in England in October 1995 and within days had claimed political asylum. In October 2000 he was granted refugee status and indefinite leave to remain in this country under the 1951 UN Convention relating to refugees.

Government sources have told The Times that Mr Harrath was refused British citizenship, although it is unclear whether he appealed. Mr Harrath’s lawyers refused to say whether he had asked for a British passport, insisting: “Our client considers that this is a personal matter, which is not relevant to your inquiries.”

In an interview with The Times, Bechir Tekkari, the Tunisian Justice Minister, claimed that Mr Harrath had used his exile in London to send FIT recruits to terrorism camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to raise funds. Mr Harrath strongly denies what he described as “completely outrageous and false” allegations. He refuses, however, to discuss what he did between 1995 and 2000 in Britain.

Mr Tekkari said that members of the banned FIT gave evidence to magistrates in Tunisia that Mr Harrath had met Osama bin Laden in the early 1990s in Peshawar, Pakistan. Mr Harrath denies meeting bin Laden or any other senior members of al-Qaeda and there is no hard evidence to show that he had.

Mr Tekkari urged Britain to reconsider its refusal to extradite Mr Harrath: “The Tunisian authorities regret that no action has so far been taken concerning this request, at a time when it is often repeated [that] international cooperation in the fight against terrorism is necessary.”

Speaking through his lawyers, Mr Harrath flatly rejected any allegations of terrorism and accused Tunisia of targeting him because of his political beliefs. Carter-Ruck pointed out that Tunisia had made no attempt to extradite Mr Harrath since 1997.

This year an employment tribunal ruled that Mr Harrath had wrongly dismissed his channel’s star Muslim presenter, Yvonne Ridley, and sexually discriminated against her by making an “untrue allegation” that she kissed men. The tribunal said that it had “little confidence in the accuracy” of his evidence.

A Muslim conference entitled Global Peace & Unity hosted by Mr Harrath in London in October was attended by Shahid Malik, the Justice Minister, Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, and Dominic Grieve, the Shadow Home Secretary.

The free-to-air Islam Channel, available by satellite or through the internet, was founded by Mr Harrath on a shoestring budget and broadcasts a variety of chat shows, documentaries, news and films in English. It seeks to “appeal to both Muslims and non-Muslims”, according to its website, “ultimately conveying Islam in its true form to curious non-Muslims and to further educate Muslims”.

It says that there is a large demand for television that reflects Muslims’ needs and is founded on Islamic values and tells potential viewers: “Islam Channel . . . will advance unbiased and accurate images of Islam and Muslims and endeavour to bring about cultural understanding and awareness for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence among communities.”

Additional reporting: Graham Keeley, Madrid

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