New York Muslim centre spurs supporters
Newly formed group says debate is creating fear, division and it will fight for US constitutional freedoms to be upheld
New York: Muslim, Jewish, Christian and civic groups formed a coalition on Wednesday to back a plan for a Muslim centre near the site of the World Trade Centre attacks in New York that has sparked heated national debate.
The cultural centre and mosque face fierce opposition from conservative politicians and people who consider its location insensitive to families of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11 attacks by Al Qaida militants in 2001.
But the newly formed New York Neighbours for American Values, made up of more than 40 religious and civic groups, said the debate was creating fear and division and that it would fight for US constitutional freedoms to be upheld.
"We were not attacked by the Muslim world," said Donna O'Connor, spokeswoman for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, whose pregnant daughter was killed in the World Trade Centre attacks.
"We 100 per cent fully support the Islamic cultural centre in New York City."
The debate turned national ahead of November elections — as Republicans seek to wrest control of Congress from Democrats — and in New York the city's many Muslim taxi drivers linked the controversy to an attack on a colleague.
Driver Ahmad Sharif, a 43-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant, said he was slashed across the neck, face and shoulders on Tuesday by a passenger who asked if he was Muslim and observed Ramadan. Police said the attack was being investigated as a hate crime and that a 21-year-old man had been arrested and faced several charges including attempted murder and assault.
The New York Times reported that the accused attacker was a volunteer at Intersections International, a non-profit that works to promote cross-cultural understanding and which this month released a statement supporting the Muslim centre.
Intersections International said in a statement that it could not comment on whether the suspect had volunteered at the organisation.
"We deplore violence and any act that may be categorised as a hate crime," the group said.
Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, said the controversy over the Muslim cultural centre and mosque had made Muslim New Yorkers vulnerable. The alliance estimates half of the city's taxi drivers are Muslim.
