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Muslim leaders vow: ‘we will continue our fight’


by Julie Wintle


.LOCAL Muslim leaders have ' vowed to continue with their fight to build a mosque in Clitheroe despite council chiefs this week


quashing their latest bid. At a packed meeting on Tuesday


evening, attended by more than 100 people and guarded by a high visibility police presence, members of Ribble Val­ ley Borough Council’s Policy and Finance Committee voted the best use for the former council depot on Kirk- moor Road in Clitheroe would be for elderly sheltered housing accommoda­ tion rather than a mosque. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Sher-


az Arshad, spokesman for the Medina Islamic Education Centre on Holden Street, spoke of his disappointment. “It is a missed opportunity. It should


have been approved - they could have kept everyone happy by building both


houses and a mosque.” Mr Arshad confirmed that the search


would continue for an alternative site, although he added: “We are almost resigned to the fact that we are not going to get anjnvhere, but we have to


have hope.” . . . This is the second time in two months ,,


that the controversial bid by members of the Islamic centre to buy p^t of the site has been before the committee.


Along with the bid for a local


mosque, requests from local carpenter Mr Leon Greenwood to expand his business on the site and froin CCTV company Maximum Protection Ser­ vices Ltd, who wanted to buy all or part of tbe land, were also thrown out. Instead, a motion put forward by the


Conservative leader of the council, John Hill, to use the land for sheltered bungalows was carried by seven votes


tosix. Two previous motions from Liiberai . ^ T-u 1


Democrat councillors for the site to be utilised for a range of uses including housing, a mosque and the carpentry


business were lost. Dozens of local residents watched the


meeting on television screens in the foyer of the council chamber due to the sheer number of those who attended. During the peaceful and uninterrupted proceedings, the only reaction was a cheer that came from these residents when Coun Hill proposed the housing


option. Meanwhile, outside the chamber, a


crowd of around 35 placard-waving British National Party members gath­


ered. However, Clitheroe Police Insp. Bob


Ford confirmed yesterday that the entire evening had passed off peacefully with no offences committed. Members of the Muslim community and their supporters, who were escort-


%


ed by the police from the Islamic centre on Holden Street to the council cham­ ber, also experienced no incidences of harassment or racist comments as they


had feared. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Ivan


Duxbury, spokesman for the Clitheroe and Ribble Valley branch of the BNP said they now wanted to hear Coun. John Hill confirm a previous statement made to the press, that he wanted a line to be draw under plans for a mosque.


'Ts he now going to come forward


and repeat that? We want to know if this is the end of the matter or if we are going to get it again in another six


months.”- Commenting on the matter, Coun.


John Hill said the council was happy to continue to assist the Musliin commu­ nity wherever it could and inquiries were still on-going into three other sites. However, he added: “If those are not suitable, we have to get on with life.


^ a 2 .T 0 r “We are not closing the door and we


will provide every assistance we can within our limited resources. “But we cannot have a dedicated officer continually looking for site for a


mosque.” Coun Hill said the council had a duty


to the wider community to prioritise its


limited resources. Any decision made on the sale of the


land will now be conditional on plan­ ning permission being obtained.


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