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The project to build a mosque and Islamic cultural center close to Ground Zero in New York City has raised a sense of hope in a city whose Muslim population want to move on from the terrible 9/11 attacks.
Construction is yet to begin at the site where the mosque and Islamic center are set to be located, which is the former Burlington Coat Factory in Lower Manhattan, which was closed down in 2001 after the landing gear from one of the planes hit the building. This building is located approximately 200 meters from the former site of the World Trade Center, where 3,000 people died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The mosque will be part of the Cordoba House project, which will include a 13-storey Muslim community center that will include a theatre, a swimming pool, and sport facilities. However, the announcement of this project caused mixed feelings among local residents and families of 9/11 victims.
For his part, Nihad Awad, the Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR] told Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday that "there is controversy and there are parties that have a political agenda and want to intimidate the American people against the mosque project which has not yet begun [construction], and this includes Republican Congressman Peter King, and his opinion should not be considered because his ideas are extreme."