The Case Against the Mosque at Ground Zero

All of those who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001 killing 2,977 people, were radical Muslims. In 1993 there was the first attempt by Islamic terrorists in detonating a massive truck bomb under the World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring over 1,000 in an effort to collapse the towers.

On 21 December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 crashed as a result of an Islamic terrorist bomb killing 270 innocent people. In 1999 an Egyptian airline pilot purposely crashed a plane into the water near Nantucket, Mass. killing 217 people while uttering a Qur'anic prayer. On October 12, 2000 Islamic suicide bombers killed 17 US sailors on the USS Cole. In 2009 a Muslim psychiatrist gunned down thirteen unarmed soldiers while yelling praises to Allah. And the list goes on and on.

The facts show that there is more than sufficient reason and evidence for the American people to harbor suspicious feelings toward Muslims. Particularly after 9/11, an outright attack against the United States, the American people can never forget the images of Palestinians celebrating in the streets. Further there was no strong unified outcry evident by "good" Muslims after 9/11. Even to this day, after a multitude of terrorists acts across the world, killing thousands of people, there is no strong unified outcry against the Islamic terrorists by Muslims, only seemingly scattered and meek objections. This is what the American people see, this is what they can't deny. This is why people are suspicious of Muslims.

There are approximately 1.2 to 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide. There have been claims that only about 1%, or approximately 12 to 16 million are radical Muslims. Others say that it may be as high as 10% or higher, or 120 to 160 million. Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said it best on a recent (Sept. 2010) television interview where he said that although the actual number of radical Muslims may be small, there is a much larger number who buy into the radical Muslim storyline, or narrative. Certainly we must assume that most Muslims are good, and not all Muslims are bad. This is what the American people WANT to believe. But the question continually lingers...where are all the "good" Muslims in speaking up for their religion? In weeding out the bad? People do not see this happening and this further creates an air of suspicion around Muslims. It is a self created doubt, created by Muslims, for not only failing to speak out, but in failing to take action to clean out those who have radicalized their faith.

In looking at the recent history of mosques, in the Iraq War they were allowed to be desecrated by storing arms, and being used as a meeting place for the gathering, recruitment and training of terrorists and suicide bombers. In some cases they were used as places for military action, actually firing weapons from the mosques. Mosques have been used extensively by al-Qaeda operatives and other Islamic terrorists to recruit, finance operations and train zealots to commit attacks. The 9/11 Commission Report issued in 2004 stated "Americans are often appalled by the intolerance, anti-Semitism, and anti-American arguments taught in schools and preached in mosques." One of the most famous examples of a mosque being used as a terror center is the al Quds Mosque in Hamburg, Germany. It was in that mosque that leaders of the September 11 attacks were radicalized and put in touch with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Earlier this month, the German government shut down the mosque. (It is interesting to note German government action.)

Then there is Brooklyn's Al-Farouq Mosque, a hotbed for terrorists, such as the notorious blind Sheikh Omar Abel Rahman who was behind the first terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. In still another instance at this mosque the FBI revealed another plot planned by the Al-Faroug Mosque cell to set off five bombs in 10 minutes intended to blow up the United Nations headquarters, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the George Washington Bridge, and a federal building in New York housing the FBI.

There is the American-born Imam Anwar Awlaki who preached at the Rabat Mosque in San Diego and met some of the 9/11 conspirators. Some moved to Northern Virginia at the same time Awlaki did. At the Dar al Hijra Mosque in Virginia, Awlaki preached to Maj. Nidal Malick Hasan, who later carried out the Fort Hood massacre. Awlaki now practices his violent form of Islam in Yemen, urging followers to murder Americans. He is on the U.S. kill-or-capture list. The Bridgeview Mosque in Chicago was built with Saudi money and became a recruiting ground for Osama bin Laden's mentor, Abdullah Azzam. Around the world, mosques have been used as venues for terrorists to raise funds, plot operations, recruit new terrorists and radicalize young Muslims. In the Middle East mosques in the Gaza Strip have served as repositories of weapons and havens for terrorists. In Europe, several of the 9-11 hijackers were recruited in mosques. In Pakistan's vast tribal region on the Afghanistan border, al Qaeda, the Taliban and other Islamic terrorists extensively use mosques as safe havens and headquarters in an alliance with radical imams. Do the American people have good reason to suspect mosques? Any rational person would say yes.

Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah was the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, and was responsible for the 1983 terrorist attack against the U.S. Marine barracks and the U.S. embassy in Beirut, which killed more than 300 people. Fadlallah had praised terrorist attacks against Israel, and has been deemed a terrorist by the U.S. government. Yet many U.S. Muslims are mourning his death at three suburban Detroit Muslim mosques.

Throughout history, Muslim conquerors have purposefully erected mosques over some of the most sacred and hallowed places of Judaic and Christian worship. The al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is built on top of one of the holiest sites in Judaism, the Temple Mount. The Hagia Sofia, once the world’s largest cathedral and orthodox patriarchal basilica until its capture in 1453, was the principal mosque of Istanbul for over 450 years. During the Muslim conquest of medieval Spain, the Christian church in Cordoba was captured and converted into the central mosque of the Umayyad Caliphate. Muslims have engaged in this practice for centuries, symbolizing their victories over the infidels.

Sharif El-Gamal, owner of Soho Properties. Inc., purchaser of the buildings near Ground Zero went from waiting on tables to paying $4.8 million in cash for the site a couple of years later. He also has been involved with other multi million dollar projects. Where is all this money suddenly coming from? Is this not HIGHLY suspicious to anyone?? Isn't it also very suspicious that this project is known as “Cordoba House” given the history of the Muslim medieval conquer of Spain??

The project’s public face, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has been touted as one of the most moderate Muslims in this country today. Yet he has made several anti American statements including saying that we were an accessory to the terrorists acts of 9/11, as well as other outrageous statements. The claim is that the mosque at Ground Zero is needed for the Muslim population in that area. Yet there is no large Muslim population in that specific area. Further, Manhattan Island already has eight functioning mosques affiliated with Sunni and Shia Islam. Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and New Jersey have dozens more. Many are also called “Islamic Centers” or “Islamic Cultural Centers.” Still further, they refuse to lets us know where all the funding for this $100 million projects is coming from. The project, the funding, those behind it, and the entire reasoning simply do not hold.

Ground Zero, in reality, does not belong to the City of New York...it is sacred ground that belongs to America. It appears clear, given all the facts and history above that the REAL purpose of this mosque is a symbol of conquest that can be used as a rallying point throughout the radical Muslim world...a stake in the eye of America, a symbol of victory over the infidels.

In spite of the misguided support by Mayor Bloomberg, who is a Jew and doesn't seem to mind being spat at in the face, and the Obama administration, this mosque will NEVER be built at Ground Zero. The American people will not build it, and the American people will not allow it.