MAIL ONLINE: The developer behind the planned Ground Zero mosque and Islamic cultural centre said it never occurred to him that building it near the site of the September 11 attacks would heighten tension.
Sharif El-Gamal, a muslim, told CBS News that it hadn't crossed his mind because 'I did not hold myself or my faith accountable for the tragedy' *.
He said the centre, which would include a health club, exhibition space and a September 11 memorial, should be 'universally known as a hub of culture, a hub of coexistence, a hub of bringing people together'.
El-Gamal leads a property investment firm that owns the lower Manhattan building where the $100 million (£65m) centre, known as Park51, would open.
The plans have led to a national discussion over freedom of religion and the sensitivities of the relatives of September 11 victims, with everyone from President Barack Obama to Miss USA weighing in. Read on and comment >>> Mail Foreign Service | Tuesday, August 31, 2010
* Who is this joker trying to kid? – Mark
