Thread: Imam fears moving NYC mosque could inflame tension

NEW YORK – The imam behind a proposed Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero cautioned Wednesday that moving the facility could cause a violent backlash from Muslim extremists and endanger national security.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf told CNN that the discourse surrounding the center has become so politicized that moving it could strengthen the ability of extremists abroad to recruit and wage attacks against Americans, including troops fighting in the Middle East.

"The headlines in the Muslim world will be that Islam is under attack," he said, but he added that he was open to the idea of moving the planned location of the center, currently two blocks north of the World Trade Center site.

"But if you don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world," he later said, predicting that the reaction could be more furious than the eruption of violence following the 2005 publication of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Opponents say the center, which would include a Sept. 11 memorial and a Muslim prayer space, should be moved farther away from where Islamic extremists destroyed the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people. Supporters say religious freedom should be protected.

Rauf, 61, has largely been absent since the debate over the center erupted earlier this year. He has been traveling abroad, including taking a State Department-funded 15-day trip to the Middle East to promote religious tolerance.

In the interview with CNN's Soledad O'Brien, his first since returning to the U.S. on Sunday, Rauf responded to a number of questions that have been raised about the project.

He said money to develop the center would be raised domestically for the most part.

"And we'll be very transparent on how we raise money," he said, adding that no funds would be accepted from sources linked to extremists.

Rauf said that, in retrospect, he might have chosen a different location for what he described as a multifaith community center.

"If I knew this would happen, if it would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn't have done it," he said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_ ... osque_imam


*I take his remark as a threat....
"But if you don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world,"

There are over 6,000 comments to this, and out of the 40 I took the time to read only 1 was sympathetic to Islam.

I'd say this fraud of a religious leader has really stirred up a hornet's nest in this country.

How does the saying go, "Give them enough rope..."

Thanks for posting this DearsisterAnise!

There are over 6,000 comments to this, and out of the 40 I took the time to read only 1 was sympathetic to Islam.

I'd say this fraud of a religious leader has really stirred up a hornet's nest in this country.

A hornet's nest indeed, melena! I saw that last night and I cannot BELIEVE that he is actually "threatening" that if we DO NOT do what the Islamists over there WANT....that WE in America AND OUR TROOPS will be in danger of attack.

Oh my gosh!!!!!! He and they must be out of their minds. In other words, they are saying that if the American people don't bow down to their wishes that there is a good chance that they will punish us.

This cannot be. This is INSANE. The American people can't even BELIEVE what they're hearing with their ears.

"If I knew this would happen, if it would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn't have done it," he said.

If you were of this country, you would have known that.

But all that "pain" isn't going to stop you is it? OH NOES! We'll have to stop you.

You think Americans are going to put up with a Mosque at Ground Zero because you screwed up and showed your true colors under the threat of a "backlash"?

You think threats of Muslimism "backlashes" are going to intimidate AMERICANS?

You've lived in our country since the 1960's and know so little about the people of our country that you thought you could INSULT US in this manner and still get to build a mosque at Ground Zero?

You actually thought you could park your butt on a plane and tour the world like someone of authority about our country with this stupid State Department and get away with it?

You really believed you could line your pockets for years like your Dad building religious centers on behalf of a religion responsible for the worst crime in US history, come home from your taxpayer funded world tour and continue with your phony not-for-profit 501 C 3 tax exempt business as usual?

You actually think that you are something other than an enemy of our country at this point?

You best pack your bags and haul your dumb ass back to Kuwait where it belongs and take this idiotic State Department with you.

No if he had "COMMON SENSE" he would know that.....




Kathyet

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

There are over 6,000 comments to this, and out of the 40 I took the time to read only 1 was sympathetic to Islam.

I'd say this fraud of a religious leader has really stirred up a hornet's nest in this country.

A hornet's nest indeed, melena! I saw that last night and I cannot BELIEVE that he is actually "threatening" that if we DO NOT do what the Islamists over there WANT....that WE in America AND OUR TROOPS will be in danger of attack.

Oh my gosh!!!!!! He and they must be out of their minds. In other words, they are saying that if the American people don't bow down to their wishes that there is a good chance that they will punish us.

This cannot be. This is INSANE. The American people can't even BELIEVE what they're hearing with their ears.

Welcome to Islam! Welcome to Sharia! This is the way they do business and it's being forced on the rest of us. Religion of peace? Sure sounds like it, right? They just might find they have bitten off more than they can chew this time.

I'm done with being threatened.

What I fear is that "they" (whoever exactly "they" are...I guess the Taliban and/or radical Islam via the Imam?) are trying to spread or transfer the war onto American soil.

Does this make sense? Does anyone see this as something that is possibly happening and taking place here with this situation?

It is meant to anger, to disturb, and to beat down the American people. More divide and conquer. It's meant to FORCE Islamic dictatorship upon the American people. This has NOTHING to do with peace.

if the mosque is moved, and muslims perpetrate acts of revenge, sounds like this guy is the first one to look at for responsibility.

Originally Posted by kathyet

No if he had "COMMON SENSE" he would know that.....




Kathyet

If he was an American he would know that. And someone needs to check his immigration papers.

Yes is there any doubt our govt will FORCE us to submit ?

Between mexican illegals and Islamic jihadists living here with the blessing of our govt , WE ARE DOOMED , unless we can get over this PC liberal moronic BS.

It only gets worse folks unless we start calling a spade a spade

Diversity? , Tolerance?

Seems to only work one way now , and its not in our favor