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Live blog: Imam behind NYC Islamic center speaks
Editor's note: The imam who plans to build an Islamic center and mosque a few blocks from New York's ground zero spoke to CNN's Soledad O'Brien on "Larry King Live" Wednesday night. The following is a running log of what Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf discussed.
[Updated, 10:04 p.m.] O'Brien's last question was whether Rauf could unequivocally say that the center would be built at the currently planned location, a few blocks from ground zero.
"We certainly hope to build a Cordoba House vision of a multifaith center that will build relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims," he said.
[Updated, 9:59 p.m.] Rauf was asked about the pastor in Florida who plans to burn Qurans this weekend, on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
"I would plead with him to seriously consider what he is doing. It is going to feed into the radicals in the Muslim world," Rauf said.
He noted that U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus has warned that the burning would endanger U.S. troops overseas.
"It's something which is not right to do on [those] grounds," Rauf said.
"We have freedom of speech, but with freedom comes responsibility. ... This is dangerous for our national security, but also it is the un-Christian thing to do," he added.
[Updated, 9:48 p.m.] When asked if the State Department was correct in saying Hamas is a terrorist organization, Rauf said: "I condemn everyone and anyone who commits acts of terrorism, and Hamas has committed acts of terrorism."
When asked what he thought about the 9/11 hijackers claiming they were doing what they did in the name of Islam, he said:
"That is a travesty. Just as the inquisitors in Spain were committing a travesty [against] the teachings of Jesus Christ. We do have people in our communities who [commit travesties] against Islam."
[Updated, 9:40 p.m.] O'Brien asked about his interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," shortly after the 9/11 attacks, in which he said the United States' policies "were an accessory to the crime."
O'Brien asked twice, but Rauf deflected the question.
"The work we have to do now is not about pointing fingers," he said, as part of his response.
[Updated, 9:32 p.m.] Rauf, the imam at the center of the controversial proposed Islamic community center and mosque in New York, said that "nothing is off the table" when asked whether he would consider moving the site.
"We are consulting ... various people about how to do this so that we negotiate the best and safest option."
[Updated, 9:28 p.m.] Rauf reiterated that the issue about what to do with the center going forward is important for national security.
"If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world," Rauf said. "... If we don't handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed."
He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals' ability to recruit followers and will increase violence against Americans.
He said again that if he knew ahead of time the controversy this would create, he wouldn't have made the plans to build the center at the currently planned site.
[Updated, 9:21 p.m.] Rauf said that if he knew how controversial the project would be, he "never would have done this - not have done something that would create more divisiveness."
However, he said he is convinced he shouldn't move the center now because "our national security now hinges on how we negotiate this, how we speak about it and what we do."
By that, he said, he means that if the controversy forces a move, "it means the radicals … will shape the discourse on both sides."
[Updated, 9:15 p.m.] Asked whether he was surprised by the controversy, Rauf said he was.
He pointed out that news of the plans to build the Islamic center and mosque was published in The New York Times in December, and "no one objected" at the time. He said the issue was politicized later.
[Updated, 9:13 p.m.] Asked why he wanted to build the center on the planned spot, Rauf noted he's already run a mosque about 10 blocks from ground zero for many years.
When asked about the feelings of families of 9/11 victims - such as those who might claim that their relative's remains have yet to be found at the site, Rauf said: "This is not that spot. This is not ground zero proper. No one's body is in that location."
"I'm very sensitive to those feelings," he said. "As an imam - as any religious person does - we have to minister to the pain and hurt ... in our communities. This is part of our intention."
He said he intends to put a 9/11 memorial in the center.
[Updated, 9:07 p.m.] O'Brien asked why Rauf was quiet during the recent uproar while he was overseas. He said wanted to wait until he got back to his home country, America.
"I didn’t think is was appropriate for me to speak about this while I was overseas," he said.
He said people in the Middle East "have been very concerned about this" issue.
"The concerns of people there are about both what this means in the United States, but what this means also for them, because the United States is the only global superpower today, and what happens here has an enormous impact over the rest of the world," he said.
[Original post, 8:54 p.m.] The imam who plans to build a community center and mosque within blocks of New York's ground zero will be interviewed live at 9 p.m. ET on CNN's "Larry King Live."
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf will talk with CNN's Soledad O'Brien about his decision to move ahead with the plan. As the interview happens, this blog post will be updated with portions of what Rauf says.
Opponents of the plan say the center would be too close to the site of the 2001 terror attacks and is an affront to the memory of those who died in the al Qaeda strike. Backers cite, among other things, First Amendment rights and the need to express religious tolerance.
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This is total waste of time, we are giving this guy too much publicity, he want to become famous at the expense of Americans tolerance level ( By the way I am from India). This is guy is taking advantage of freedom of speech. I hate this guy
Imam Abdul Rauf is a wolf dressed in the cloths of a lamb.
strip clubs are sacred to me. Loser!!!
Why is God not welcome near "Ground Zero"? Soledad is coming across as a bigot and an ignorant woman.
Now the very worst in Soledad's interview: Giving the stupidity of Franklin Graham's view of Islam any air time at all on national television. She should be fired. She has lost all sense of proportion.
This guy is so full of it. Will I as a Christian be able to swim in their pool? Drink out if their fountains?
WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO WAKE UP AND SEE HOW VIOLENT ISLAM IS!
"Rauf reiterated that the issue about what to do with the center going forward is important for national security.
"If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world," Rauf said. "... If we don't handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed.""
THIS MAKES NO BONES ABOUT THE VIOLENT NATURE OF THE FOLLOWERS OF MUHAMMAD! WHEN IS OUR LEGISLATURE GOING TO WAKE UP! WAKE UP WASHINGTON D.C.! WE ARE BEING BULLIED AND THREATENED BY BARBARIC, HATE-MONGERING FOLLOWERS OF MUHAMMAD!
Muslims aren't EVIL. They're believers of a faith that is different to yours. Meet a moderate muslim, engage him/her in a discussion about their faith and you'll find that they're just humans trying to live their life and believe and pray in their God like you or me. WAKE UP AND STOP BEING IGNORANT!
People are evil – christians, muslims, jews... and how is it that I trust the Taliban more than most christians these days... must be time to head to strip clubs and burn some bibles in the name of our Christian America!
There is good and bad in all people, however ISLAM is VIOLENT and most muslims dont even KNOW what there "Book" says and PEOPLE LEARN WHAT ISLAM STANDS FOR BELIEVES!!!! WORLD DOMINATION!!!!! PEACE it does not teach peace!!!!
Ive read the Bible, Koran, Tao Te Ching, etc... the Koran is no more violent or centered on world domination than the bible. You're misinformed.
OF COURSE ISLAM IS EVEL!!!!
THEY ARE LIKE CANCER WHICH IS SPREADS VERY QUICKLY!!!! EACH MAN MARRIES 4 TO GROW THEIR NATION!!
If Information concerning the religions, having debates which put every view into perspective, which gives the chance for experts on all sides to present the evidence for their belief, to support that belief, and to put out the information so people are not misunderstanding the religion's goals and to bring as many people into conscience thought about these subjects, because they are so important.
This sounds like a threat to me!.......
"If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world," Rauf said. "... If we don't handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed."
He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals' ability to recruit followers and will increase violence against Americans.
ISLAM HAS BEEN RECRUITING FOR YEARS IN THE U.S.! JUST GOOGLE: PAMPHLETS FOUND IN AMERICAN MOSQUES
I believe Imam Rauf when he says he wants peace. I am a Christian and we must support moderate Muslims who are speaking out against radicalism!
Thank you, Craig! A rational voice amid the reactionary din.
"If we don't do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world," Rauf said. "... If we don't handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed."
He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals' ability to recruit followers and will increase violence against Americans.
-If their goal is just to have a 13 story mosque/community center then why would it matter where it was being built? Whether its 2 blocks or miles away from ground zero should not matter. Moving it out of respect to the wishes of American people should not create anger or help to recruit more terrorists. that just goes to show that this will be more of a trophy than a place to worship.
Because it serves the community that lives and works in that area.
how big is the muslim community in that area? if its purpose is to serve the people that work and live in that area than 13 stories seem a big excessive.
how big is the muslim community in that area? if its purpose is to serve the people that work and live in that area than 13 stories seem a bit excessive.
Actually, what Franklin Graham has said about MUSLIM Religion teachings ARE VERY TRUE. I lived in Egypt for 6 years and yes " IN MOSQUES THIS IS WHAT THEY SAY TO HATE THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS AND TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD" Imam Feisal IS A LIAR AND ISLAM IS NOT BASED ON PEACE
IF IMAM FEISAL IS SO PEACEFUL "WHY IS HE INSISTING ON BUILDING" THE MOSQUE. He will get financing for the Mosk from Saudi Arabia and Terorist groups such as Hizb Alla and also Iran. Imam is a LIAR LIAR LIAR
So you lived in Egypt and understand that dialect of Arabic? How plausible. Who seems like the liar?
soledad is losing it!!! i expect any minute she is going to starting yelling - oops, she just did.
Do you rember the day that the planes hit the World Trade Center Towers.
This is the most disgusting interview I have ever watched. Unbelievable. Abdul Rauf would've have gotten a more fair interview on Fox News. What in the world is happening right now?!? Shameful interviewing by Soledad. What a travesty.
I am not following your logic, Daniel. Soledad's job is to ask challenging questions to probe into his real intentions. I think she is doing that very well.
She moved beyond the territory of simply asking challenging questions a long time ago, she's now badgering him and projecting her opinion.