see, it's not that hard... this is more of what i would expect from a religion of peace and love

NEW YORK (AP) — The backers of a proposed Islamic center near ground zero are expressing regrets about creating a firestorm with a plan they thought would be simple and noncontroversial.

Hisham Elzanaty, an Egyptian-born businessman who says he provided a majority of the financing to gain control over the two buildings where the center would be built, told The Associated Press that he has always viewed the project primarily as an investment opportunity, and would sell some of the site if the price is right.

And the imam slated to lead the spiritual component of the center told CNN that if he had realized how some Americans would react to the location, he would have picked some other spot.

"If I knew this would happen, if it would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn't have done it," Feisal Abdul Rauf said.

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Both men, though, said they strongly support the center going forward. Rauf said moving it now would create the perception that "Islam is under attack" in America and would strengthen the ability of radicals to attract recruits.

The challenges facing the project extend far beyond the debate over its location, and include conflicting interests among the key backers.

Elzanaty said that while he supports the building of a 13-story Islamic center on the property he helped buy, he needs to turn a profit.

He said one of the buildings is worth millions of dollars if it is redeveloped, and he intends to seize the opportunity. He said he would like to see the other building turned into a mosque, but if backers don't come forward with enough cash for him to break even, he will turn it over to someone else.

"I'm a businessman. This was a mere business transaction for me," said Elzanaty, a U.S. citizen who has lived on New York's Long Island for decades, owns medical clinics in New York City and invests in real estate on the side.

Representatives of some of the project's backers said they have just started trying to raise the estimated $100 million needed to build the center and the millions more required to run it.

Elzanaty said his real estate partnership, which paid $4.8 million for half the site last year, has already received offers of three times that much to sell that parcel.

"Develop it, raze it, sell it," he said. "If someone wants to give me 18 or 20 million dollars today, it's all theirs."

If that happened, an Islamic center could still be built at the site, but at half the size.

A spokesman for the developer leading the investment team declined to confirm Elzanaty's claim that he has a majority stake in the partnership, or comment on whether he needs approval from the rest of the group to decide the fate of the two buildings.

New York Gov. David Paterson, who has tried but failed to entice the Islamic center's backers to move to a new location, said on WOR-AM radio Thursday that he appreciated Rauf's acknowledgment that ordinary people, and not just bigots, had been upset by the plan.

"I do feel the slightest bit of movement," he said.

The concept of the center was first broached publicly late last year by a group of backers that included Rauf, his wife and a real estate investor in Rauf's congregation, Sharif El-Gamal.

Together, they outlined a plan to demolish a pair of linked buildings and replace them with a tower that would hold a theater, a health club, a performing arts center, a culinary school and a mosque.

Since then, though, it has been difficult to determine who is in control. The key players in the development are represented by different publicity firms and different lawyers, and have varying agendas and no consistent message.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-nyc-mosque-imam,0,4305196.story

"If I knew this would happen..."

FAMOUS LAST WORDS!


ALSO a steaming pile!

lol.. probably...but maybe they are taking the "pay me" and i'll move it route too...

I hope they do not give into prejudice and hatred.

It makes the fight even harder for those who fight against it.

They won't have too. All it takes is a little money!

did you read the article? the part i highlighted?...

You mean ignorant ordinary people?

They have to be ignorant to be pushing a prejudice ideal further along.

well, not everyone has your intelligence level... maybe someday you will find someone that is way up to your level....

Open minds are the anti ignorant cure.

you sure seem to find a lot of ignorance everywhere...maybe if you came down off your self made pedestal that your looking down at everyone, maybe you would see that everyone doesn't hate, or as you so neatly put it, ignorant.

It is obvious that they are ignorant to the whole picture.

Not all Muslims should be punished for 9/11.

If we are going to limit religion we need to limit all religion.

So if they are not pushing a hateful agenda intentionally then they are ignorant, it is obvious.

No brainer really.

it's a no brainer for you, cause your not thinking about the whole picture...they are not punishing anyone, it's not about hate, they just don't want the damn thing THERE....even the builders realize that, and your so blinded by your hate, you can't even think straight

Muslim = Islamic

Islam = Hate and intolerance for non believers

Reading the Quar-an and understanding what it says does not = ignorance.

Just hating Middle Easterners becasue they look different and talk different DOES = ignorance.

Constantly riding the same line with revamped sentences like a bicycle? = good exercise? Well, you are not really riding a bike so no it is actually a form of ignorance too.

I take it if I start a religion that sacrifices goats you would have to let me? How about when we start doing people? BAAL WANTS BLOOD! BLOOD FOR BAAL!

Where is the common sense? Ignorance is NOT reading the Quar-an and saying that Islam has a right to be here.

THAT IS TOTAL AND UNQUESTIONABLE IGNORANCE!

BOOO-YA!

Like I said, the Islamaphobia being spread is spread from ignorance and hatred, even on these boards.

good... maybe someone will notice

It would be 100% wrong to put that there! They attack our nation and we their church there basically giving in this is not the middle east! They will not ruin our land like they ruined there's!

they want their victory trophy... is their a better place to put it?

This subject has nothing to do with religion. It has to do with the feelings of the victims families.

and?

HOLY COW! Nice way to try and invert what I am saying on myself. the point is if you read the Quar-an you would not want it around unless you like Pedophilia and wife beating!


I suppose you want a man to beat the crap out of you nightly just becasue his bible says he can do so???

Again you are the pot calling the kettle Black!

There is a legitimate reason to be scared of Islam unless you are sheep like enough to fall into line with their flock.

It is becasue of these boards I read it. They have declared holy war on me for not wanting to be part of their faith. And you got the sand to call us racist for disagreeing with you?

Pishaw!

Your level of education does not seem to correspond with the intelligent (or lack there of) statements you utter so much. Maybe people do have a damn good reason to fear Islam. You just refuse to see it.