Most of the trained militants head for Chechnya where fighters led by Bin Laden's International Islamic Front (IIF) are battling renewed Russian advances. Some of them are being sent to Kashmir, the report said.

A Sunday Telegraph investigation has found that dozens of volunteers are being imparted training in the use of suns and explosives to prepare them for the military wing of the IIF. Many others are travelling abroad to Kosovo, Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir in India to fight for mujahideen armies.

Anjem Choudary, a key figure in the recruitment of jehad volunteers told the weekly ``before they go abroad to fight for organisations like the IIF, the volunteers are trained in Britain. Some of the training does involve guns and liveammunition.''

The number of volunteers leaving Britain for the war-torn region is now so high that the Russian government has asked Britain for help. ``We are in talks with British security services,'' said a Russian embassy source.

On Friday, the political wing of the IIF will hold a public meeting in London to appeal for both jehad volunteers and funds. Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad, head of the political wing in Britain, insisted last night that there was no structural link between the two wings of the front. But he said ``the military wing of the International Islamic Front is run by Osama Bin Laden.''

``Volunteers from Britain are travelling abroad to join camps run by the IIF and other organisations. Once they are there they receive military training or take part in jehad. Last week we sent 38 people to Chechnya. Our volunteers are not terrorists. They are not targeting civilians and they do not target people in Britain,'' Mohammad said.

Sheikh Abu Hamza, a former nightclub bouncer who claimsto have lost both his hands fighting in Afghanistan denied the use of live ammunition but said it was important for volunteers to get the feel of weapons. But volunteers have told the Sunday Telegraph they have been fully drilled in weapons use, often by former British soldiers.

Abdul Wahid Majid went on 10 special training courses in England before spending two months in the Pakistani hills with the mujahideen.

``After my basic training with awards and sticks at the mosque, I went on a number of courses where I was taught how to use real firearms and live ammunition,'' he said. ``It is unlimited, the amount of things you can learn. Once in Pakistan I was introduced to a greater range of military hardware including guns like Kalashnikovs and M16S,'' He said. Another volunteer, Abdullah, a retailing manager in Crawley, has taken part in eight outdoor training courses in Britain, the newspaper said. According to the report, volunteers who have trained in Pakistan, are obliged to recruit and train otherswhen they come back.

An Algerian who returned to Britain last week from a three-month training course for mujahideen leaders said he had been taught how to administer poison to prison guards.

According to the report, an eight-member strong coordinating committee meets regularly to consider appeals for help and money. It helps channel funds to jehad and considers which volunteers should go abroad.

Sheikh Bakri, a leading member, admits it will often receive requests from groups linked to Bin Laden.