Chief of Defence Staff General Michael Walker and a group of senior officers met the heads of the Muslim Council of Britain in London, a Ministry of Defence statement said.

The purpose of the get-together was to let Muslim leaders know about efforts to make the military "genuinely inclusive and representative of the society it exists to serve", a ministry statement said.

Walker also wanted to increase awareness among young British Muslims about the possibility of a career in the military.

Walker said he wished to "to emphasise my personal commitment to creating armed forces which reflect more fully the religious, cultural and ethnic diversity of the society we serve".

Muslim Council of Britain head Iqbal Sacranie welcomed the move, and praised the recent appointment of a Muslim cleric to administer to the spiritual needs of Islamic soldiers.

However, he issued a veiled warning that any recruitment drive for British Muslims could be derailed by further allegations that British troops mistreated prisoners in Iraq.

"For this to be successful ... it is imperative that the high reputation of our armed forces is zealously protected and maintained and not allowed to be tainted by any misbehaviour or illegal actions," Sacranie said.

Last month three British soldiers were jailed for abusing Iraqi detainees at a military camp in Basra, in the south of the country.

According to Ministry of Defence figures, there are only just over 300 armed forces personnel who identify themselves as Muslims, out of a total complement of around 190,000.