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Islamic leader accused of thefts
A prominent leader of a Lancashire Islamic community has appeared in court accused of a series of thefts from banks.
Preston man Sayed Shah, also known as Syed Shafaait Hussain-Shah, is the President of the Shia Islamic Centre in Blackburn.
He appeared at Preston Crown Court after being charged with nine thefts against various banks – amounting to 26,000.
The offences date from as far back as 1999 and up to 2007.
Similar charges against his wife Abida Hussain Shah, were ordered to lie on the file by a judge at Preston Crown Court when the couple appeared there on Friday.
Mr Shah stood in the dock with an interpreter while his wife, who wore the traditional burkha, watched from the public gallery.
He will appear for a trial on March 3, which is expected to last for two weeks.
The couple live in a detached home in Churchill Road, Fulwood, with their four children.
They have two boys and two girls all under the age of 15.
Mr Shah attends festivals and events in the Shia calendar including an annual parade down New Hall Lane in Preston. The Festival of Ashura commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussein, who was killed with his family in 681, by the ruler of Arabia, Yazid.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
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