Mosque Plans Ignite Terror Fears, Inflame Tensions in NYC Borough

By: Carlin DeGuerin Miller
Topics: Daily Blotter

Staten Island meeting turns ugly. (WCBS)

NEW YORK (CBS/WCBS) Tempers flared and fears were ignited at a community meeting in Staten Island, N.Y. Wednesday night, where many residents questioned why a Muslim group is being allowed to build a mosque on the site of a former convent.

Was it religious intolerance or legitimate fear about the Muslim American Society's (MAS) alleged support for Hamas?

Whatever the reason for the chaos, chaos it was. An overflow crowd grew until the gates around the meeting hall had to be secured by police.

Questions were shouted in almost equal measure at community leaders, representatives of St. Margaret Mary R.C. Church, who agreed to sell the land to MAS, and the three members of group who attended the meeting, including the president of the local chapter of MAS, who expressed his exasperation at the way the meeting was handled.

Robert Spencer, founder of "Jihad Watch," asked the members "will you here and now denounce Hamas and Hezbollah as jihad terrorist organizations?"

Another resident said "I'd like to know why the MAS is on the watch list for terrorism."

MAS is not on the state department's current list of foreign terrorist organizations, and the representatives denied any links to extremist groups and said the mosque would promote peace and understanding.

As it became clear to the moderators that order could not be restored the meeting was ended abruptly, punctuated by one of the moderators screaming "the meeting is over. Everyone please go home."

It was not clear whether the group would consider changing its plans for the mosque given the unfriendly un-welcome at the meeting.

CBS affiliate WCBS contributed to this story.

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by kikikity August 15, 2010 4:16 PM EDT: HOORAYYYY, HOORAYYYYYYYY, FOR MARKENRIQUEZ!!!; Reply to this comment


by londoninny June 14, 2010 2:22 PM EDT: The American mainstream media assisting in the hoodwinking of our citizens by allowing the debate about the legitimacy of the planned Ground Zero Mosque to be framed as one of freedom of religion vs. the irrational concerns of intolerant bigots? This is simply not the truth. There is a flawed perception that all religious movements are spiritual in nature, devoid of politics and that leaders of said movements seek only to bring about a more loving, moral and peaceful society and thereby an evolution of that society with greater interfaith understanding. Were that actually the case, leaders of said movement of organizations like The American Society for Muslim Advancement, Muslim American Society and The Muslim Brotherhood would not be as consumed with the shear number of their followers as a percentage of the voting public, nor would they seek the erection of political symbols near national monuments and commercial zones and encourage increased procreation on an increasingly over crowded planet that faces shortages of resources, in an effort to flip the political dynamic in Western civilization. Islam is not a race. You can't be a racist because you oppose a religiously inspired political movement's attempts to change the laws of your country for the worse. Or to quote: "Islamaphobia is not a meaningful charge. A phobia is an irrational fear. Would you call a Jew in the 1930s Germany a Naziphobe."; Reply to this comment


by markenriquez71 June 13, 2010 1:50 PM EDT: politically correct is destoying the identity of AMERICA, i'm proud to be born, and raised in AMERICA, and most importantly defined by the AMERICAN CULTURE, non citizens such as the 9-11 terrorists biggest weapon was the widespread politically correct mentality of most of the american people and the U.S policy, which allowed them to easily enter this country, which they had ZERO business of being here in the first place, the reaction to the mosque plans are normal because of 9-11, its a slap in the face, the Muslims that will be at this mosque may not all be terrorists, but their views and beliefs for the most part are the same as the terrorists, if an AMERICAN like Katie Couric is reporting from the Middle East she has to wear a scarf over her head while their, because she will be forced to abide by their rules, but politically correct BS is trying to stop AMERICANS from having a common sense reaction to these Mosque plans, AMERICA NEEDS TO GET ITS IDENTITY BACK, and enforce their rules, just as they would in the Middle East if you went there, if you wanted to risk your life though for just being there.; Reply to this comment


by DisturbedMary June 11, 2010 5:26 PM EDT: Don't you just love islam?; Reply to this comment


by tlwinslow June 11, 2010 3:06 PM EDT: A protest about a mosque near Ground Zero is good news not bad news, because there is time to avoid a repeat of what Islam has done to country after country for 1400 years. Ever since day one Islam has been about not just another new faith seeking equality, but a world domination cult bent on total supremacy of Muslims over non-Muslims by all means available, especially force and fear, and the name Cordoba Mosque is a deliberate attempt to declare it as the Ground Zero conquest mosque for America, like the original Cordoba Mosque in Spain back in 711 was. Study Islam's history free online with the Historyscoper and arm your mind to understand current events better at http://go.to/islamhistory; Reply to this comment

by igutierslcc June 11, 2010 12:00 PM EDT

I don't agree with building this mosque-don't we have enough worries as it is?

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by Turbidite June 11, 2010 12:17 PM EDT: Why don't we get rid of all churches, synagogues, shrines, temples and ashrams while we're at it? It might increase the tax base of most comminities by dropping the tax freeloaders.


by InformedVoter22 June 11, 2010 10:14 AM EDT: I notice this story is in the "Crimesider" section. If these plans go through, it is a crime. And I'm glad to see people standing up and giving everyone involved a piece of their mind.; Reply to this comment


by Brokennews June 11, 2010 10:14 AM EDT: "the mosque would promote peace and understanding."

And if you infidels don't accept that, we'll chop your frigging head off!!; Reply to this comment


by mlmae June 11, 2010 8:53 AM EDT: Gosh. I wonder why.; Reply to this comment