Senator Farley Calls for a Stop to the Ground Zero Mosque

Senator Hugh T. Farley (R-I-C, Schenectady) called today to immediately stop the proposed plans to build a mosque in lower Manhattan. The mosque would be sited mere blocks from the Ground Zero site where the World Trade Center was violently attacked on September 11, 2001. Senator Farley noted that the placement of the proposed mosque and community center, is an affront to all of those New Yorkers who lost friends and relatives in the World Trade Center Attacks. Moreover, it would present a serious security threat in an area of New York that has already seen repeated attacks by radical Islamic terrorists.

"The placement of a mosque within blocks of Ground Zero, is a slap in the face to every New Yorker who remembers the horrific events of September 11, 2001. What is worse, is that this proposed mosque, has renewed the wounds of all of those who lost friends and family during those cowardly attacks. It is fitting to build a memorial to the brave men and women who lost their lives at that site, not a building which would promote the ideology of those who attacked them," Senator Farley declared.

Plans to bring a mosque and community center to the site of a former Burlington Coat Factory, in the shadow of the former World Trade Center Complex, started to emerge late last year. The mosque, projected at a cost of about $100 million, has sought community approval for development. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has supported the project as have an number of prominent Democrats. Recently, however, groups representing the victims of the September 11th attacks, have raised objections to the proposed site of the mosque, igniting a national debate.

"The chorus of critics who have raised their voices against the placement of this mosque must be heard. New York was the primary focus of the attacks of September 11th. Just a few months ago, another attack on Manhattan was again attempted in Times Square. Radical Islamic terrorists are dedicated to destroying our nation and the American way of life. The proponents of this mosque have reportedly expressed public sympathies with the 911 terrorists. The funding for this mosque has alleged ties to such terrorist organizations as HAMAS. Placing this building at this proposed site is a bad idea for so many reasons", Senator Farley continued.

Earlier in March, Senator Farley was also an outspoken opponent of President Obama's plan to try terrorists tied to the 911 attacks in federal civilian court in lower Manhattan. Working with Senator Vincent Leibell of Putnam County, Senator Farley co-sponsored and passed a Senate Resolution calling for such admitted terrorists to be tried by military commission tribunals. Like this issue, the terrorist trials, presented a huge security threat to New Yorkers and their families.

"Permitting this mosque to be built at this location is a disgrace. The first duty of government is to protect our citizens. This is about security. The current proposal would place an even bigger target on the heads of all New Yorkers. This is also about a memorial to those who lost their lives on that horrible day. We can not allow their memory to be marred by constructing a mosque/community center mere feet from the site of their murder. Such is offensive, to put it mildly, when those who committed the greatest act of murder in the history of the United States, did it in the name of Islam. If good religious Muslims wish to construct a mosque at a more appropriate, less controversial site, they will have my full support. Accordingly, the State and City of New York should assist in the construction of a mosque / community center at more appropriate location," concluded Senator Farley.

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Please sign my online petition to stop the plans to build a mosque at Ground Zero. Click here for the petition.