London ? Britain’s most powerful Islamic body criticized a television documentary broadcast Sunday that accused the country’s Muslim leaders of ignoring the spread of extremism within their communities.

The British Broadcasting Corp’s Panorama program said groups affiliated with the Muslim Council of Britain, the country’s most powerful Islamic body, were peddling hard-line, intolerant religious views.

The council’s Secretary General Sir Iqbal Sacranie said the program was “deeply unfair” and was “purposefully trying to sabotage” Muslims’ progress in mainstream political participation.

Sir Iqbal, who was knighted this year and is viewed as the voice of moderate Islam by the British government, said: “The MCB urges British Muslims to remain calm and vigilant in the face of recent concerted attempts being made by known hostile elements to divide them.”

The council – an umbrella organization with more than 400 affiliated groups – already has written to the BBC claiming the documentary has a “pro-Israeli agenda,” he said.