

A summit of U.S. Muslim organizations is under way in New York City to address controversies over a proposed Islamic center near ground zero.

A spokesman says the Muslim leaders have been meeting all day Sunday in an effort to arrive at a united stand on the proposed Islamic center.



“Once it became a rallying cry for extremists, we had no choice but to stand with Feisal Rauf,” he said, referring to the New York City imam who has been leading the drive for the center.




“I think most Muslims outside New York City are more concerned about the backlash than the actual center, which most of them will never directly benefit from,” said Shahed Amanullah, the editor-in-chief of the website and a group of other Islam-themed sites.

“Grass-roots support is indeed building,” he said, “but that is probably more due to the pushback against the general hostile climate.”

The center’s proposed location two blocks from the World Trade Center site has upset some relatives of Sept. 11 victims and led to angry demands that it be moved. Critics say the site of mass murder by Islamic extremists is no place for an Islamic institution.



Julie Menin, the chairwoman of the Manhattan community board that endorsed the project months ago, said she will meet with Rauf to discuss the interfaith possibility in the coming weeks.

“They had always talked about giving the center an interfaith concept,” she said, “like having classes in Buddhism.”

“It’s one thing to have panel discussions, but if you really want to bring these factions together … have a nondenominational interfaith space, like the chapel at the Pentagon, where local rabbis and priests could hold services on different days of the week.”

There has always been some interfaith support for the center.

Its backers modeled their concept for the center after the city’s two popular Jewish community centers and consulted at length with the managers to learn how to make their model work downtown, and reached out to some neighborhood politicians for support.

There was much less outreach to Muslims, Ubaid said.


“He was not that involved with the local Muslim community,” Ubaid said. He said that included a general failure to round up support for the center before going public with his plans. “Had we consulted us, we probably would have told him, gently, no.”


Questions about the project’s finances have lingered. The investment partnership that owns the property, led by El-Gamal, quickly fell more than $224,000 behind on its property taxes this summer.




Comments (46)
  1. diaba says:

    if you have no ideal about islam dont say or make loose comment about a religion above all religions

  2. Joe says:

    They should respect the 911 victims and there families, and build the mosque at a respectable distance.

  3. Patrick says:

    Will the Imam and those who are associated with World Trade Center mosque who claim to be against radical Islam, stand in protest outside the United Nations as the President of Iran who represents the vile extremist Muslim country of Iran goes to speak before the United Nations General Assembly? Americans will be watching.

  4. another bob says:

    How about we kill all the muslims like they want to do to us?

    1. nathan says:

      Nuke the Middle East. We can still drill the oil through radioactive glass.

  5. Zaheed says:

    I support this project but not because I am Muslim. I believe the city of NY could well use the $100 million injection into the local economy and that Muslim and non-Muslim residents can benefit from the central location and opportunity to interact and learn from one another as well as share resources like literature, arts, culture and physical activities.

    @nana, I don’t really understand where this whole “Muslims are trying to takeover” mentality has come from. This is like in the movie “The Expendables” where Stallone and his crew are mistaken as being a part of Eric Roberts’ evil Americans that want to takeover the Island of Vilena. The soldiers of Vilena confuse Stallone & Co. (who are good guys) with being “The American Disease” and start shooting at them. An attribution error that the audience is supposed to find absolutely outrageous. I’d say take a step back and see how an outlandish statement like “You will not conquer America” is equally crazy. If anyone is in a position to take over America, it’s the Chinese. If they ever decide to call in all of the American debt they own, this country will go into foreclosure.

    @Dan Te – No less than the 7th (without hyperbole) time that you have used the same diatribe of facts. If you’ve copied your rant from someone else, you need to find a new source of material and if you’ve composed it on your own, you need to come up with further elucidating data to give your repetitive argument some credibility. As it stands, it sounds like you might have just ripped off your argument from Stormfront[dot]org. However in the spirit of repetition, I will counter with NO RELIGION IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER. (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc.) Human attrocities have been carried out or legitimized in the name of most major faiths – of which the honor of “most bloodshed” goes to Christianity. In these campaigns, Christians have claimed the lives of more Muslims than vice versa.

    Christian-European Crusades
    approx. 176,000 Muslims killed

    Transatlantic Slave Trade
    approx. 10,000,000 Africans enslaved while teachings from the bible were the principle justification. (at least 10% of these Africans are believed to have been Muslim whereas 90% probably practiced African tribal religions)

    Zanzibar Revolution
    Christian John Okello and his revolutionaries slaughtered up to 20,000 primarily Muslim people.

    Slaughter of 300,000 Bosnian Muslims and rape of 100,000 Bosnian Muslim women by Christian Serbs

    Rwandan Genocide
    Conflict between Christian Tutsi and Muslim Hutu

    This is not meant to be pro-Islam and con-Christianity. The point is that EVERY conflict has two sides and that historically and sadly, most wars have claimed more innocents (regardless of religion) than combatants. No religion can be one of peace or brotherhood, and none is without sin when INDIVIDUALS warp the logic to suit their own sick fantasies. So you can denigrate Islam by calling all of its followers “mus-lime” all you want, but it only makes you and your argument appear less intelligent and non-cogent.

    The really sad thing here is that there are many Muslims in this country that just want to practice their religion and their culture freely, to co-exist with their fellow man, woman and child and to even pay their taxes. They can’t, because of this “American” [general term] proclivity to fear and hate a culture and community that one does not understand.

    1. DanTe says:

      You mu-slimes really are totally devoid of facts and truth aren’t you? If you can’t distort a truth, it’s not worth following, is that it?

      Here’s some facts for your “versions” of truths:

      The Crusades was a war because mu-slimes had invaded Western lands. You mu-slimes didn’t want to be killed, stop killing others first. (I know this is a hard concept for you camel turds.)

      The Transatlantic Slave Trade was primarily provided by you mu-slimes in Africa who enslave each other as a matter of course. And you still trade slaves to this day.

      As to Bosnia and Rowanda, well, what did you expect after you had injected your Moors genes into that region after you had invaded it back during the Middle Ages? They’re all as stupid as the rest of you mu-slimes.

      But don’t worry. We understand: it’s Genetic. You can’t help it. And like any other murderous diseases that can’t help but kill, we understand. But don’t get mad if we humans don’t like being killed.

      Islam, it’s a disease.

      And a Allah’s Ma Licks ‘Em to you too..

    2. Augustus says:

      Dan Te has reposted his comment many times simply because it is succinct and 100% accurate.
      It should not be how many times Dan has reposted but what he has posted and as it gets the point across perfectly then he can post it ad nauseum .
      I accuse you of being intimidated by him because he has you completely uncovered you for what you are.
      Take Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef
      Now why on earth would one of your own condem your own religion like he has.
      As he has said he read in christain text “love your enemy” and that was enough for him as nothing like this exists in that cuddly peace loving religion of yours. watch this please.

      Of corse surprise surprise Mosab Hassan Yousef now has a death threat hanging over him. Says it all really.

      So stop the old al taqiyya banter clothed in liberal speak, slowly but surely everyone is waking up to the double sided tactics employed by muslims

      Ie: al taqiyya ( look it up everyone )
      abrogation regarding the Qur’an ( look it up )
      Just a footnote , get a history book Zaheed islam has been a conquering (brutally so ) ideology from day oneso quit the old sly christains did this and killed more speech.
      I deal with now the present not then and today islam is causing grief strife and misery globally.

  6. Peter says:

    Well, of course their faith is under attack…it’s just as bad as the Nazis!!!! If you think the Muslim religion is peaceful, you know nothing of it. Spend a few months in Iran like I have and you will quickly see how horrible they are. The Nazis were once tolerated because they were a minority and seen as relatively “peaceful” and “harmless”…their numbers quickly grew and they rose to power before anyone realized what had really happened. It starts with small things here and their, like this. America needs to wake up and realize these ways cannot peacefully co-exist with American Democracy and Freedom…there has to be limitations, otherwise they will walk all over you.

    1. KPMc says:

      Peter: Why in the world would you spend a second in Iran? Oh.. I know… maybe you were looking for tips on how to destroy American democracy and freedom as you claim we need to put limits on. The forefathers and all those that died for the righteous cause are spinning in their graves knowing you learned NOTHING from their struggles and teachings.

  7. Patrick says:

    Will the peacefulf Imam and the organizers of the World Trade Center mosque stand up to protest the radical Islam as the Presidebt of Iran speaks before the UN General Assembly or will theyt stand down? Amewricans will be watching.

  8. last exit says:

    faith under attack? LOL more like they need to be denouncing the terrorists trying to kill Americans.

  9. nana says:

    mh, the truth is we know islam, and we know what your aim is and no you will not conquer America, your liberal leaders are for you but you know what we will stop you, muslims will not take over like they have Europe, this is our America the land of the free to worship to any god

    1. KPMc says:

      So nana… you support the right to build a cultural center and mosque in downtown Manhattan because correctly you know we live in the “land of the free” where we are all “free to worship to any god” of our own choosing? Correct?

      I commend you for being strong and defending ALL of our rights in the face of such fear, hatred and bigotry.

  10. Susannah says:

    Why don’t a few US developers try & put up churches in major Muslim cities & see how fast it doesn’t happen.

  11. mh says:


    1. DanTe says:

      To “mh”, but I do know Islam.

      It goes …. BOOM!

      And no, I don’t hate Islam. Does one hate the AIDS virus? the bubonic plague? polio? rabies? Nope. One just gets rid of the disease.

      I do hate the air heads who insists on having a nice chat with the diseases to see if they would kindly stop killing humans. Much like they tried to chat with Hitler. Didn’t work back than, won’t work now. And air heads like “nathan” never learns. The holocaust never happened, right? nathan?

  12. Edward says:

    Religion is divisive!

  13. DanTe says:

    Just because to air heads have a little problem with cold hard facts 🙂


    China — sh-!t happens

    India — sh-!t happens

    Middle East — sh-!t happens
    (suicide bombers that kill little children)

    Russia — sh-!t happens
    (suicide bombers that kill women and children in crowded theaters)

    South East Asia — sh-!t happens

    Europe — sh-!t happens
    (suicide bombers that kill little children)

    USA — 9/11 happened




    1. nathan says:

      Yay! Dan “the bigot” Te is back! Where would we be without his eternal hate?

      1. DanTe says:

        Is it bigotry to hate diseases that kill humans? Is it bigotry to hate plagues that cause famine? If yes, than Yes, Yes, I’m a bigot.

        So “nathan”, have you had a deep understanding with AIDS yet? Have it stopped killing? You should talk with it some more. Air head.

        So why haven’t you censored posts that disagrees with you, yet? In the name of Freedom of Speech of course. Like you’ve always been doing? Add hypocrite to the air head.


        China — sh-!t happens

        India — sh-!t happens

        Middle East — sh-!t happens
        (suicide bombers that kill little children)

        Russia — sh-!t happens
        (suicide bombers that kill women and children in crowded theaters)

        South East Asia — sh-!t happens

        Europe — sh-!t happens
        (suicide bombers that kill little children)

        USA — 9/11 happened




      2. Augustus says:

        Dan the enlightener more like it. What dan posts is 100% fact!. dumbo

    2. nathan says:

      Theres nothing more fun than getting inside the head of a person who is already insane. Cheers DanTe!

      1. DanTe says:

        Poor poor “nathan”. No facts. No datum. Just politically correct sound bites. The more you squeal, the better my facts come across. Thank you.

  14. No name says:

    It’s really a victory and conquering of America summit.

  15. Proud Agnostic says:

    ISLAM IS THE DEVIL!If you don’t believe that , ask the loved ones of those stoned and behraded by these savages!

    1. eviliforyou says:

      The stoned and beheaded were devils and should had been killed much earlier and thats including idiot like you.Your eyes should be extracted 7 days before you meet your cruel death.

      1. Augustus says:

        What a nasty uneducated little runt you are.

    2. Jacob says:

      … most of whom are followers of Islam.

      Your turn again.

  16. slowthinker says:

    This is what muhammad him self said about Quran and Muslims-
    I find this quotation in a book in bangla the name of this book is “Islam Prasang” compiled by-Md,Khalilar Rahaman, publisd in1984, by Satsang Publishing House. India. It is a conversation between Sri Anukul Thakur (a hindu saint) and Md Khalilur Rahaman a Muslim scholar, which take place between 1925 to1945.(page-188, in hindi transltion))
    “It is mentioned in Hadis, Hazrat Rasul (The Prophat) had once said – The day is not far when such a period would come for the mankind when existence of Islam Would only be in its name. The Koran would reduce
    into a symbol only .All the mosques would turn into mere corridors and their guidance would be destroyed ,their learned people would turn into wretched creatures among the civilized world under sky.Their would be visible hostility against religion among them and there would also be its reaction over them.”
    This is true translation, i think mullahs hide it form ordinary show the future of islam and will give some relief to whole human beings who fear about spreading Islam, but it also warns us about coming danger. Please tell about this to everyone you know, and also find out where it is in Hadis.

    1. nathan says:

      slow – wouldnt it be nice to get paid for your incessant rants? Good luck on that one lol.

      1. slowthinker says:

        Please say something more logical and true.Thanks.

  17. slowthinker says:


    -By Warner Todd Huston









  18. slowthinker says:

    Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf Tells Jordanian Newspaper he is for Sharia Law
    September 14, 2010
    By admin


    Here it is in Arabic.


    Here is the paragraph translated to English.


  19. slowthinker says:

    Why Did Cordoba Project Change It’s Name To Park 51, When It’s Address is 45 47 Park?

    Posted on 15 September 2010 03:19:50 by CharlesMartelsGhost

    Good question, huh? I’ve wondered about this for awhile.





    Also consider this Sept. 10th NYPost article, by Amir Taheri:

    Islam center’s eerie echo of ancient terror Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero? In fact, what is pro posed is not a mosque — nor even an “Islamic cultural center.”



    The Ground Zero project doesn’t fit the traditional minaret. This 13-story [fifteen story if you include subgrade levels] multifunctional structure couldn’t be any of the above.

    The groups fighting for the project know this; this is why they sometimes call it an Islamic cultural center. But there is no such thing as an Islamic culture. Islam is a religion, not a culture. Each of the 57 Muslim-majority nations has its own distinct culture — and the Bengali culture has little in common with the Nigerian. Then, too, most of those countries have their own cultural offices in the US, especially in New York. Islam is an ingredient in dozens of cultures, not a culture on its own.






    Faced with the anger of New Yorkers, the promoters of the project have started calling it the Cordoba House, echoing President Obama’s assertion that it would be used to propagate “moderate” Islam.



    If whatever peace and harmony that is supposed to have existed in Cordoba were the fruit of “Muslim rule,” the subtext is that the United States would enjoy similar peace and harmony under Islamic rule.


    One of those taking part in the demonstration told French radio that the aim was to “show we are here.” “You used to be in our capitals for centuries,” he said. “Now, it is our turn to be in the heart of your cities.”

    Before deciding whether to support or oppose the “Cordoba” project, New Yorkers should consider what it is that they would be buying.

  20. Bob says:

    Hidalgo-you must be one of the most ignorant human beings on earth.

    1. nathan says:

      No Bob that would be you and everyone around you knows it.

  21. abdul razak says:

    Is muslim have loyalty to their host country learn more about islam visit

  22. Luz Vega-Hidalgo says:

    Oklahoma Federal Buikding was bombed by Christian extremist militias. But Americans know about extrene and moderate Christ. teachings so they didn’t blame Christianity.

    1. Peter Lymes says:

      What a small brain. Christians condemned this act of barbarism and investigated, searched, and found the guilty party and executed him. They also went after helpers and they too are in jail. Did the “peace loving” Muslims do the same?

    2. Sam says:

      There are no extreme Christian teaching in the Bible. Only Islam out of all religions calls for forced and violent expansion of it self.

  23. Luz Vega-Hidalgo says:

    Its good that the public is becomomg acguainted with moderate moslem teachings. Be patient their negatice attitudes will change.

  24. Ryan says:

    “we will teach you, Infidels, you must submit”… all under Islam’s banner

  25. George says:

    People who oppose the mosque in ground zero are too late to open their eyes.

Leave a Reply to Patrick Cancel reply