William Rae has asked for more resources

Mr Swinney said: "I am calling on Henry McLeish to account for the Scottish government's actions or inactions over the last six months relating to the problems surrounding the asylum issue.

"Is Mr McLeish willing to assume responsibility for tackling the escalating problems of racial tension and violence occurring in Scotland, or will he continue to take a back seat by abdicating responsibility to Westminster?

"Mr McLeish needs to answer why calls from Strathclyde police Chief Constable, William Rae, for more resources to be allocated to enable his force to provide protection to asylum seekers located in Strathclyde, and to ensure the type of tensions experienced were tackled before they reached tragic consequences, were ignored.

'Shocking murder'

"Despite William Rae writing to the Scottish government a week before the shocking murder of Firsat Dag, explicitly expressing the strains his force were being put under by the asylum issue, the government has failed to act."

But a spokesman for the Henry McLeish said the Scottish Executive was "working hard" to solve any problems experienced by asylum seekers without "seeking publicity".

Mr McLeish has met police and council leaders recently

He said: "The First Minister has met with the chief constable of Strathclyde Police and the leader of Glasgow City Council in the past two weeks to discuss the asylum issue."

He said that Deputy Community Care Minister Malcolm Chisholm was involved on a "daily basis" and was keeping Mr McLeish and cabinet colleagues informed of developments.

In a veiled reference to the impending court case over the death of Mr Yildiz, he added: "It is sad that the SNP is making its case for political independence on the back of a tragedy like this."

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said the chief constable's "request" for additional resources was "being considered".