Ground Zero Site Not Suitable for Islamic Mosque

Our attorneys at the New York State Supreme Court presented our arguments today in a critical hearing - arguments that clearly show that an Islamic mosque should not be built at a site in Ground Zero.

As you know, we've engaged this issue since last summer, when we filed our lawsuit challenging the City's decision not to landmark a building at Ground Zero - a move that would have prevented the mosque from moving forward.

We represent Tim Brown, a New York City firefighter who survived the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  In court today, we argued the building must be preserved.

The fact is that this site, in the shadow of the Twin Towers where landing gear from one of the hijacked planes landed, is part of sacred, hallowed ground and not the place to build a mosque.

Such a move is deeply offensive to many Americans - especially the family and friends of 9/11 victims.

We filed suit against the City and the complaint is posted here. The suit names New York Citys Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the New York City Department of Buildings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the mosques developers. 

In our Opposition to the Respondents Motion to Dismiss and our Reply Affirmation filed with the court, we argued that the LPC abused its discretion by declining to landmark the building that would be replaced by the mosque, a building that was severely damaged on 9/11 but remained standing.  We also contend that political pressure from the Mayor Bloomberg's office caused the LPC to act in contravention of prior precedent and to treat the subject building different from nearly identical buildings in the past. 

It's important to note that the City already has landmarked 148 similar buildings.

In the lengthy legal process leading up to this hearing, we have clearly shown that the LPC did indeed act arbitrarily and deviated from its precedent due to political pressures from the Mayors Office and because of the political correctness of a mosque at Ground Zero. 

We will continue to fight for our client, Tim Brown, as well as for all those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and all Americans who agree that this mosque has no place at Ground Zero.

As you know, there's tremendous opposition to this project.  Nearly 300,000 Americans already have signed on to our Committee to Stop the Ground Zero Mosque. If you haven't added your name yet, please take a moment and do so here.

The court said a decision on today's hearing could come within four weeks.  We will keep you posted on developments as they unfold.