London, England - Muslim women are to be targeted by the Government and invited to attend leadership courses in an attempt to prevent the spread of Islamic extremism.
Ministers believe this will form a part of the beleaguered counter-terrorism strategy.
Intelligence has revealed that extremists are putting "greater focus" on targeting young people through "sleek and seductive messages" using the internet and new media.
The plans come as the Church of England's only Asian bishop warned that extremists have created "no-go areas" that are dangerous for non-Muslims and that "attempts have been made to impose an 'Islamic' character on certain areas".
The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, attacked the Government in The Sunday Telegraph for allowing society to become divided as a result of a "novel philosophy of multi-culturalism".
The Government will announce the formation of an advisory group, which will implement the plans.
Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, is expected to tell local authorities this week to use part of a £70 million fund set up to combat extremism to fund courses in confidence building, communication and mediation skills.
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "Muslim women have told us they want to play a greater role in civic life and their communities as well as in confronting the arguments of the small minority of violent extremists who seek to divide us.
"It is therefore right we empower and support Muslim women in providing them with the skills to do this."
Young women will be helped to become magistrates, councillors and school governors. Leadership and assertiveness skills will be developed through placements with athletes and business leaders.
A Whitehall source said: "This is about giving the silent majority a stronger voice in their communities and equipping people with the skills and strength to withstand the messages of extremists preaching division and hatred."
The plans are likely to prove controversial as they may threaten cultural traditions about the role of Muslim women - many of whom remain more segregated from mainstream society than their male counterparts.
Inayat Bunglawala, an assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: "The Government at first wanted our imams to act as spies on young British Muslims and now they seem to want Muslim women to do the same."
Shaista Gohir, chief executive of the Muslim Women's Network, said: "It's not about women becoming investigators, it's about giving them a greater role in public life."
The move to target Muslim women comes amid growing concern over the Government's counter-terrorism strategy.
Official estimates suggest between 10,000 and 15,000 British Muslims support al-Qa'eda.
The Government has been attacked for failing to divert adequate resources to the problem earlier and for failing to integrate ethnic communities.
Bishop Nazir-Ali said: "The British were losing confidence in the Christian vision which underlines most of the achievements and values of the culture…They sought to accommodate the new arrivals on the basis of a novel philosophy of multi-culturalism."
He added: "This required that people should be facilitated in living as separate communities, continuing to communicate in their languages and having minimum need for building healthy relationships with the majority.
"Alongside these developments, there has been a worldwide resurgence of the ideology of Islamic extremism."
A Synod survey to be published this week by the Church of England will find that more than one in three bishops and clergy believe that an influx of people from other faiths is diluting the Christian nature of the country. Only a quarter feel that the new arrivals have been integrated into society.