A MUSLIM community leader has strongly denied that mosques in East Lancashire have made secret donations to an international fund for the Tory party.

It follows national newspaper claims that up to £5 million in donations from the world's Islamic community - including cash from British mosques - has been channelled into Conservative coffers.

President of the Lancashire Council of Mosques Adam Patel described as "unbelievable" suggestions that Lancashire mosques had been involved.

Mr Patel, a member of the Labour Party since 1965, said: "As far as I know no mosques in Lancashire or Merseyside have made donations.

"I find it very hard to believe. Mosques don't collect political contributions. They can't contribute to any party. It must be a rumour."

International businessman Mohammed Kahan, wanted on gun running charges in Fiji, has claimed that donations have been made from 200 mosques in Britain, the Middle East, western Europe and the United States via accounts in Jersey.

He reportedly said in an interview that the money from moderate Muslims had gone via off-shore accounts to avoid embarrassing the cash-strapped party by linking it with the Middle East. The donations are believed to have been made by Muslims opposed to Islamic fundamentalism when the party was suffering a cash crisis last year.

Unofficial Conservative Party sources have been unable to deny the party received cash from the international Islamic community.

However, Mr Patel said he believed the local Muslim community would be supporting the Labour Party at the General Election.

He said members of the Muslim community in Blackburn had donated around £4,000 to the Labour Party for the campaign.

Earlier this year the president of the Muslim League Javed Mohammed wrote to UK members urging them to back the Prime Minister and the Tories.

He said the League shared the same values and aspirations as the party.

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