``No religion is free from extremism,'' declares Abdelfattah Amor, the UN's special rapporteur on religious intolerance.

In a 23-page report to the General Assembly, Amor points out that religious intolerance should be viewed in the larger context of the economic, social and political conditions that foster it.

``At the national and international levels, unjust economic, social and political systems which really constitute violations of economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, contribute to the birth and/or nurturing of extremism,'' he says.

His report provides examples of overt and covert discrimination against Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Scientology, Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Amor says that religious minorities, particularly Muslims, have been the butt of prejudice and stereotyping. Islam continues to be associated with religious extremism and terrorism - particularly in the media in the United States, Germany and Australia.

While acknowledging the danger represented by the extremism of groups claiming allegiance to Islam, the study points out that ``it is important to distinguish between such extremists using Islam for political purposes, who are in fact in the minority, and the majority of Muslims practising Islam in accordance with the principles of tolerance and non-discrimination.''

The report notes the persistence of various types and degrees of Islamic extremism - particularly in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Niger and Pakistan.

``However, it is evident that this phenomenon has spread to other religions, as seen by the rise of Hindu extremism directed against Christian and Muslim communities and, potentially against religious minorities in India, and even in Nepal.''

The Muslim extremism, which broke out in Indonesia also, in some cases, has led to violent counter-attacks by Christian extremists. Judaism may also be subjected to distortion in Israel by Jewish extremists, according to the study.

Extremism, says the special rapporteur, may therefore be inter-religious (directed against religious communities of different faiths), intra-religious (within the same religion and, in particular, between different sects), or even both at once.

``The most striking example is that of the Taliban (in Afghanistan), who, in the name of religion are persecuting not only non-Muslim minorities, but also Muslims.