PARIS - A TOP Muslim group in Britain lashed out at Nicolas Sarkozy as 'patronizing and offensive' on Tuesday, after the French president said body- and face-covering Islamic garments such as the burqa turn women into prisoners.

In Paris, parliament formally created a commission on Tuesday to study the wearing of body-cloaking Muslim robes in France, a day after Mr Sarkozy told lawmakers that the burqa would not be welcome in the country.

A top official with the Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella organisation for British Muslim groups, accused Mr Sarkozy of 'divisive politics', and said his comments could fan an 'Islamophobic reaction' in Europe.

One of Britain's highest-profile Muslim politicians also joined the debate, saying it was not the government's job to decide what people should or should not wear.

France has Western Europe's largest Muslim population, estimated at 5 million. A small but growing group of French women wear burqas and niqabs, which either cloak the entire body or cover everything but the eyes.

Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of the French Council for the Muslim Faith, said he disagreed with the wearing of burqas as inconsistent with religious precepts - but said a ban would be counterproductive.

On Monday, Mr Sarkozy told a joint session of parliament that he supported banning burqas in public, calling them 'a sign of debasement' for women.

Last week, a group of 60 lawmakers from all political parties signed a petition demanding a parliamentary study on the wearing of burqas. Muslim groups and government officials say it is difficult to know how many women wear burqas and niqabs in France, but estimate the number to be at least in the hundreds. They are far less prevalent than simpler Muslim head scarves.

The commission is expected within six months to complete its work, which could lead to a proposed law on burqas.

In France, the terms 'burqa' and 'niqab' often are used interchangeably. A burqa is a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan - with only a mesh screen over the eyes. A niqab is a full-body veil, often black, with slits for the eyes. -- AP