Firebrand cleric Anjem Choudary tried to hold the country to ransom today.

Choudary declared that he would cancel his planned Islamic march through Wootton Bassett if Gordon Brown took part in a debate with banned extremist Omar Bakri.

He said the protest, involving 500 Muslims carrying symbolic coffins through the Wiltshire town, would be called off as long as the PM accepts the offer — but knowing there is NO chance this will happen.

Bakri, living in exile in the Lebanon, today branded British troops "murderers" and said there was strong support for the march to go ahead.

Describing his conditions for cancelling the march, Choudary said "I'm proposing that if Gordon Brown is so concerned about the people in Wootton Bassett and their sensitivity, I'm proposing an open debate between him and Omar Bakri.

"If he agrees to that I will cancel the procession. Mr Brown can do it in TV studios in Britain to speak to Bakri in Beirut. If he really believes this is about the freedom of democracy he can have a debate about it.

"We are still pressing ahead with the procession; the whole idea is to reveal the lies that the government are telling. I believe that the government have ulterior motives, and unless we have a full and open debate from both sides we won't get the truth. But I would definitely cancel the procession if he agreed to the debate."

The new remarks came as a senior police officer called for the provocative march not to be banned amid fears it could further inflame tensions.

The Home Secretary Alan Johnson yesterday reacted to mounting public anger by saying he would support any request to ban the march.

Mr Brown had earlier declared that he was "completely disgusted" at the "abhorrent" protest proposed by the cleric.

But Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said he would be "surprised" if senior officers in Wiltshire block the protest.

Meanwhile Muslims from the Wootton Bassett area turned on Choudary today.

The Wiltshire Islamic Cultural Centre said: "We will hold Anjem Choudary and al-Muhajiroun responsible for any backlash against any Muslim in Wiltshire or elsewhere as a result of their proposed irresponsible and irrational actions and any insecurity brought upon the majority peaceful Muslim population.

"We strongly request Wiltshire Police to ban the proposed march in the interests of public order, public safety and community cohesion."

Yesterday vile Choudary, 42, outrageously compared British soldiers to Nazi stormtroopers - as it was revealed Army medics had saved the life of a six-year-old Afghan boy.

The extremist accused UK forces in Afghanistan of committing "war crimes and many atrocities, including concentration camps like in Nazi Germany".

Jobless Choudary - who lives on benefits in Leytonstone, East London - could be prosecuted over sick letters he plans to send to families of dead British troops, experts believe.

Lawyers say he could be charged under race hate laws for telling them to "embrace Islam to save yourselves from the hellfire".

Ex-police chief John O'Connor said the British-born fanatic could even be charged with treason - which carries a life sentence - for trying to disrupt the nation's war effort.

More than 200,000 people have joined online protests against Choudary's plan to march in Wootton Bassett - the town famed for honouring dead British troops.

Tory chief David Cameron said "Anjem Choudary needs to be looked at seriously - the legality of what he's saying."

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling called for Choudary to be prosecuted and Islam4UK banned for trying to whip up hatred.

Hazel Hunt, mum of the 200th British soldier to die in Afghanistan, said: "The march should be stopped because it will cause so much distress to so many people. It's an insult to Wootton Bassett and all our dead soldiers."