Proposed Muslim centre near 9/11 site draws protest

A proposal to build an Islamic Centre near Ground Zero, where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre once stood in the US city of New York, has met with loud opposition from some Americans.

Two hijacked airliners were flown into the towers on September 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people, an event blamed on, and claimed by, al-Qaeda.

The Cordoba Initiative group, which says it aims to improve Muslim-West relations, plans to build a community centre near the site to help spread the message of tolerance.

Local authorities, including New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, as well as residents in the neighbourhood, have welcomed the centre.

But a small, vocal group led by the Stop Islamisation of America movement says the centre has no business being near Ground Zero.

Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports. (June 20, 2010)

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