seven Muslim men appeared at Luton Magistrates Court charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words and behaviour which was likely to cause

Munin Abdul, 28, Jalal Ahmed, 21, Jabair Ahmed, 19, Yousaf Bashir, 29, Shajjadar Choudhury, 31, Ziaur Rahman, 32, and white Muslim Ibrahim Anderson, 32, all from Luton, have pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The seven men refused to stand when district judge Carolyn Mellanby walked in, as is the custom in court. Their lawyers explained that this was because as Muslims they could not make a show of respect to any human being, only to God.

The battalion is based in Germany, but Bedfordshire is one of the areas it recruits, along with neighbouring Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire.

The Muslim protesters brandished banners calling British soldiers 'butchers' during the parade
Although the chants were aimed at members of the regiment it is the members of the public supporting them that the prosecution say were caused alarm and distress.

Trouble flared as the soldiers marched to a meeting with the Duke of Gloucester, the regiment's colonel-in-chief, and local dignitaries.

'A procession took place to celebrate the return of the local army regiment from duties in Iraq and Afghanistan,' said Avirup Chaudhuri, opening the prosecution case.

'The police's attitude was that this was a homecoming where families and their children could come and watch.

'The police were aware there were those within the local community who wished to protest at the same time as the procession, to mark their opposition to the wars in which the regiment was involved.'

A group of anti-war protesters arranged with the police that they would protest at a specific point on the route, but a splinter group went elsewhere to voice dissent.

Mr Chaudhuri added: 'Whilst the soldiers were marching a group of protesters appeared close to where this march was taking place. They were carrying placards and as the soldiers came past they were chanting.

'Among those chants were: "British army murderers", "British soldiers burn in hell", and "baby killers shame on you".

'A number of people had turned out simply to watch the soldiers procession, among those spectators there were some who were clearly upset about the protesters' behaviour.'

Proud: The Royal Anglian Regiment, marching along Watford High St in Luton
Some supporters turned on the Muslim demonstrators and police twice had to form a barrier around the protesters to protect them from angry members of the public.

At one point it is alleged pieces of bacon were thrown at the Muslim protesters and others shouted 'go and have a shave' and 'Bin Laden's wife is a whore'.

Mr Chaudhuri said: 'They continued to shout, denouncing British soldiers as terrorists, baby killers, murderers and rapists, and calling for them to go to hell and burn in hell.'

He alleged that the defendants' conduct went 'outside the lengths of legitimate protesting', and that 'many were caused alarm or distress' by the words chanted. He claimed the chant 'British soldiers you will pay' was a threat aimed at the soldiers.

The court heard that defendant Bashir had suffered two attacks on his home after the protests, in one of these his car had been fire-bombed and completely burnt out.

The case continues. It is expected to take six days.

For a far more extensive representation of muslim violence worldwide go to the Religion of Peace website