Eurabia Alert: "Brown to boost Islamic banking," from the [1] TimesOnline, with thanks to Charles Martel:

GORDON BROWN is drawing up plans to turn Britain into the most Islam-friendly economy in the western world.

The chancellor has given Muslim leaders private assurances that he wants to create a “level playing field” in the economy, so that more and more “sharia compliant” financial products can be offered to British Muslims.

To comply with sharia law, financial products must not charge or earn interest, which is regarded as usury.

Brown hopes his proposed changes would remove barriers to many British and foreign Muslims participating fully in the financial system. They would help make London the natural home for Islamic funds from around the world, and increase the inflow of investment from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries.