A controversial Islamic preacher is not in talks to buy a Scottish island, the estate agents have confirmed.
Sheikh Yasser al-Habib was reportedly planning to buy Torsa in Argyll to make his own Sharia law-based Islamic “homeland”.
His organisation launched a £3.5m fundraiser earlier this year using videos thought to have been taken at a viewing after the island went on the market last autumn.
Torsa is a trio of connected islands – Torsa, Torsa Beag and Eilean na h-Eaglaise- in the Slate Islands, an archipelago in the Inner Hebrides.
Newspaper reports suggested the remote spot was in the process of being acquired as a homeland for the preacher’s Madhi Servants Union, which runs military-style training camps in England.
Accounts run by Fadak Media on Facebook and Instagram announced earlier this year that they were founding a Mahdawi homeland, allowing the Shiites of Ahl Al-Bayt to be “settled in a special spot in the west” for the first time.
A video published on Facebook and YouTube in April was accompanied by a request for followers to continue to contribute towards a £3.5m fund to buy three islands.
In Arabic, it added: “We need to hurry to complete the amount as the signing of the purchase contract is just around the corner!”
A similar video on Instagram showed documents being signed.
Al-Habib has had warnings from Ofcom about broadcasting hatred and inciting violence against Sunni Muslims on his digital TV channel Fadak Media.
It produces programmes in Arabic for a Shia Muslim audience in the UK.
He is understood to have claimed asylum in the UK after being jailed in his native Kuwait for insulting Sunni beliefs.
There his followers prepare for the “reappearance of the promised Imam Mahdi… through faith advancing of societies in accordance with the Islamic Rafida values and achieving the Shia civilizational dominance”.
The estate agent confirmed to BBC Scotland News that, contrary to media reports, the sale of Torsa was “not at an advanced stage with any buyer”.
A spokeswoman for Savills said: “The island remains for sale and continues to attract widespread attention.
“Viewings are ongoing with buyers who, like the current owner, are captivated by its scenic beauty, wildlife and the opportunity to sail in tranquil waters.
“Who ultimately buys will be a decision for the owners who have always said they hope to find the right buyer who will continue to enjoy this haven as their family have done for generations.”
Torsa, roughly translated as Thor’s Island in Norse, is about 0.5 miles wide (0.8km) and 1.2 miles (1.9km) long.
It is separated by a small channel from neighbouring Luing, which can be reached from the mainland via the Clachan Bridge and a ferry from North Cuan Seil.
Its residents were thought to have been moved out in 1699, when neighbouring islands were subject to significant clearances by Clan Campbell.
Now home to a ruined castle, a farmhouse used as holiday accommodation, and a herd of cows, it has been put on the market for the first time in 85 years.
Madhi Servants Union has been approached for comment.
