June 14, 2006	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 17, 1427

LONDON, June 13: Lloyds TSB, the fifth-biggest British bank, began on Wednesday to roll-out its Islamic financial services across the country following a successful pilot scheme, an official statement said.

Britain's two million Muslims, walking into any of Lloyds' 2,000 branches in England, Scotland and Wales, would be able to open a current account which complies with Islamic (Shariah law), it added.

Lloyds' banks in England and Wales are meanwhile allowing Muslims to apply for Islamic home loans.

“The move is designed to cater for the financial needs of Britain's Muslim community, for whom interest is forbidden,” the statement said.

“It will be followed by other Islamic financial products later this year, including an Islamic student account.” The current accounts offer no interest or overdraft facilities because under Shariah law both payment and receipt of interest are forbidden. —AFP