Sarwar `offered to pay fines'

A MAN said to be Labour MP Mohammed Sarwar told an associate that he would pay any fine imposed on the man, according to a tape recording played to a jury yesterday.

The associate, said to be Badar Islam, repeatedly asked the other man if he could be jailed for lying in a statement. But the man said to be Mr Sarwar told him he would not expose "his brother" to any risk and would pay any fine, "even pounds 100,000".

A recording of fragmentary conversations, in both English and Punjabi, were played at the High Court in Edinburgh by advocate Duncan Menzies QC. A translator assisted the jury.

Mr Menzies said the tapes related to the second of the four charges Mr Sarwar faces, that alleges he attempted to pervert the course of justice by inducing Mr Islam to swear a false statement in return for a payment of pounds 5,000 soon after the May 1997 general election.

Mr Sarwar, 46, of Glencairn Gardens, Pollokshields, Glasgow, denies this and the three other charges - of fraud relating to the addition of four names on the electoral register, a second charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, and an allegation of understating electoral expenses.

The businessman became Britain's first Muslim MP when he was elected for Glasgow Govan in 1997.

A co-accused, Mumtaz Hussain, 41, from Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, denies one charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

On the tape played yesterday, reference is made to fake registration of voters. At one point, the man alleged to be Sarwar says: "One thing worth mentioning to you, the fake registrations... Labour was also doing these, the SNP was also doing these." The man said to be Sarwar is also heard speaking of how his enemies wanted to "destroy" him. There is mention made in the tape of the word "bombshell".

The trial resumes on Monday.