A JUDGE has criticised Bolton Council for "lulling ordinary decent folk into a false sense of security" over the future of their mosque. At Bury County Court yesterday Bolton's Muslim community lost their battle with Bolton Council over ownership of land occupied by the St George's Road Islamic Centre. The temporary building on the site of former houses at 179 and 181 St George's Road has been used by local Muslims for many years and they claim they have a right to remain there.

But Bolton Council, which has documents proving it has owned the site since 1923, wants to take back the land.

Yesterday the Council took the chairman of the Islamic Centre and owner of the newsagents at 183 St George's Road, Dr Alaama Mulana Musa Kasmi, to Bury County Court seeking possession of the land.

The Muslim community say they have used the land as a mosque and teaching centre since the late 1970s after Dr Kasmi took over ownership of the neighbouring newsagents.

They were hoping to claim "adverse possession" of the land, which is similar to squatters' rights. To do this they would have needed to show they had been occupying the disputed land for more than 12 years.

But His Honour Judge Richard Holman ruled that the defendant had offered no evidence to prove "adverse possession" of the land.

He added that because of this he was granting possession of the land to the Council by March 30.

But in making his judgement he criticised the length of time it has taken Bolton Council to take action to recover the land.

He accused the Council of "lulling ordinary, decent people into a false sense of security."

Community leaders are planning to appeal against the judgement and in the meantime hope to negotiate an out of court deal with the Council.

"We are definitely going to fight it all the way," said the centre's solicitor Mr Liaqat Malik.

Mr Kasmi added: "All the community are behind us and the Council have no right to close the mosque.

"Our case is strong so we are going for appeal."

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