Jemima Khan, the former wife of Imran Khan, who previously captained Pakistan’s cricket team, has found herself of the receiving end of death threats after becoming a patron of the Quilliam Foundation, a Muslim group which preaches tolerance of other religions.

The group was was recently set up by two reformed members of the extremist organisation Hizb ut Tahrir and has received death threats by phone and email. These threats have been aimed at all members involved in the organisation and it has been reported that one even referred to Mrs Khan by name.

At the groups launch on Tuesday, Mrs Khan admitted she had been nervous about voicing her support for the group but went on to point out that “if there was no response from the dark side, then we would be failing.”

The organisation is named after William Quilliam, a 19th century convert to Islam who founded England’s first mosque and Islamic centre.

It was set up by Maajid Nawaz, 30, a former extremist who spent four years as a political prisoner in Egypt.

Both Lord Ashdown, the former Liberal Democrat leader, and Tory MP Michael Gove are supporters of the organisation which says it aims to reflect mainstream, moderate and British Muslim opinion.

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