Hamas: NYC mosque must be built
Palestinian terror group strongman Mahmoud al-Zahar says Muslims 'have to build everywhere,' including near site of 9/11 attacks, so that followers can pray just like Christians, Jews. US Senator: His words don't carry any weight.

by Associated Press
August 15, 2010

Mahmoud al-Zahar
 

A Hamas leader says Muslims "have to build" a mosque near ground zero.

Mahmoud al-Zahar said Muslims "have to build everywhere" so that followers can pray, just like Christians and Jews build their places of worship.

Al-Zahar spoke Sunday on "Aaron Klein Investigative Radio" on WABC-AM. He is a co-founder of Hamas and its chief on the Gaza Strip.

Sen. Chuck Schumer says al-Zahar's comments don't carry any weight because Hamas is a terrorist organization. Schumer hasn't taken a stand on the mosque.

Rep. Peter King, who opposes the mosque, says he won't respond to Hamas.

The mosque is a project of the Cordoba Initiative, an advocacy group that promotes improved relations between Islam and the West. It didn't respond to al-Zahar's comments.

Obama: Muslims have right to practice religion
US President Barack Obama said on Saturday he supported the right of Muslims to build a cultural center near the site of the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City but would not comment on the "wisdom" of such a move.

Obama's comments came after his remarks at a White House event on Friday in which he appeared to offer his backing for the construction of the center.

Americans in both political parties, including many New Yorkers, object to the project.

Obama's comments on Friday drew criticism from conservatives and others, and the president sought to clarify them during a trip to Florida on Saturday.

Asked Saturday about the issue during his trip to Florida, Obama said: "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."

Obama said that "my intention was simply to let people know what I thought. Which was that in this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion."

On Friday, Obama said he believed Muslims had the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in the country.

"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said.