A SENIOR member of Blackburn's Kokni Muslim community has defended the decision to accept £300,000 from a Lottery winner.

The cash was dubbed "filthy money'' by some members of the Masjid-Al-Momineen mosque on Ash Street, Blackburn, as the Koran states that gambling is a great sin.

But Mohamed Ulde, general secretary of the Kokni Muslim Society, which runs the mosque, said it would be used to build a community centre - which members of the society had agreed was acceptable.

The money was donated by the Blackburn man who won £18 million in December 1994.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph has never named him after readers voted to respect his anonymity. Mr Ulde said the society had at one time considered building an Islamic study centre at the mosque, but members knew they could not use the lottery money to fund it.

They could not raise enough money and the plan was abandoned.

"We knew from the start we could not use it for an Islamic study centre. It is against our religion.

"Not a single penny from this money or its profits will be used for the mosque,'' he said.

"The general body of the society decided they wanted a community centre. We need something to cater for the younger generation and women.''

He said the centre, to be called the Kokni Community Centre, would benefit all the residents in the Ash Street area - regardless of colour, caste or religion.

And he added that if there was any money left over it would be donated to charity.

Peter Kuit, Blackburn with Darwen Council's chief planning officer, confirmed new drawings had been submitted but said planning permission had not yet been granted.

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