The US Government has raised the possibility of cancelling the fast-track entry programme for British visitors amid concerns that radicalised British Muslims will exploit the scheme to organise an attack on American soil.

But it is believed that the Government has so far successfully staved off the threat to the visa waiver programme, which would mean hundreds of thousands of Britons wanting to visit the US being forced to undergo a lengthy advance-vetting procedure.

Michael Chertoff, the US Homeland Security Secretary, met his British counterpart, John Reid, last month to discuss concerns that the next big terrorist attack on the US could be carried out by “clean-skin terrorists” in Europe who feel that they are treated as second-class citizens.

The New York Times quoted British officials yesterday as saying the US had “put on the table” unpalatable options, including the cancellation of the entire visa waiver programme and singling out Britons of Pakistani descent for the visa vet-ting procedures.

The US Department of Homeland Security said yesterday that it “flatly rejected” the newspaper’s report. Russ Knocke, a spokesman, said: “We do not profile people entering the US on the basis of race, religion or country of origin. But we do profile people based on behaviour. . . experience has shown that to do so on any other basis is not effective.”

Although Mr Knocke refused to confirm details of operations, it is known that the FBI have visited Britain to collect intelligence on possible terrorist suspects. Asked if there had been any discussion about cancelling the visa waiver scheme, he said: “We constantly assess our programmes and instructions. We have clear commitment to strengthening the security of the visa waiver programme.”

The US is pressing for improved exchange of information about passengers, more use of biometric data in passports and advance electronic authorisation of travel plans.

The Government issued a denial yesterday over the existence of any proposal to introduce visas for Britons of Paki-stani descent. A Foreign Office source said: “We would sooner accept losing the entire waiver programme than embarking on anything that discriminates between British citizens.”

Britain wants the US to continue with a “risk-based” option of deporting Britons who fail screening procedures on arrival. Sir David Manning, Britain’s Ambassador to Washington, said last week that there had been “concerns” over radicalised British Muslims, adding: “This is something we have to discuss all the time.”

But he said that the impulse of both governments had been to “try to solve the problem together” otherwise “the visa waiver programme would have gone”.

At the same time, the European Union is attempting to extend the visa waiver programme to include its 12 newest entrants. Only 15 out of the EU’s 27 nations are included in the programme. US officials say that Greece and most new EU members still fail to meet the criteria necessary for joining the scheme, which include having less than 3 per cent of visa applications rejected.

Mike Gapes, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs committee, said that any suggestion of racially profiling British visitors was utterly unacceptable.

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