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Plan to Build Mosque Near 'Ground Zero' Triggers Lawsuit

   VOA News 05 August 2010
   New  York  City  Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, City Council Speaker
   Christine  Quinn,  third  from  left,  and  members of local religious
   institutions  stand  in  front  of  the  Statue  of Liberty for a news
   conference in New York, 03 Aug 2010

Photo: AP

   New  York  City  Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, City Council Speaker
   Christine  Quinn,  third  from  left,  and  members of local religious
   institutions  stand  in  front  of  the  Statue  of Liberty for a news
   conference in New York, 03 Aug 2010

   A  decision  by New York City officials to allow the construction of a
   mosque  near  the  site of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is
   facing a legal challenge.

   The  American  Center  for  Law  and  Justice, a conservative advocacy
   group,  filed  the  lawsuit  Wednesday.  The  group  is  challenging a
   decision to tear down a nearby building to make way for the mosque.

   That  structure was built in the 1850s and the group says it should be
   saved because of its historic status.

   The group also says it is inappropriate to build a mosque at the site,
   where  the  World Trade Center towers stood before al-Qaida terrorists
   flew two hijacked planes into them.

   Many  Americans say putting a mosque so close to the area now known as
   "ground  zero"  is disrespectful to those killed in the attacks by the
   Islamic extremist group. Supporters of the project, including New York
   City  Mayor  Michael  Bloomberg,  say  it  will  help bridge divisions
   between the West and the Muslim world.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP.

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