Thaindian News

New York, Aug 4 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The proposed construction of a mosque near ground zero in New York has received a major boost after a city panel in New York declared that the construction of the mosque could go ahead as planned. The ruling, which was announced on Tuesday received boos and jeers from the opponents of the proposed mosque construction.

The mosque will be constructed at a location that is two blocks away from where the World Trade Center formerly stood. Currently, a 152-year-old building occupies the location and the proposers say they will pull the building down to make way for the construction of the mosque. In the panel’s ruling on Tuesday, the panel said the building could not be described as landmark.

The mayor of New York - Michael Bloomberg praised the decision of the Landmarks Preservation Commission saying the ruling was a key test of America’s commitment to freedom of religion. “The World Trade Center site will forever hold a special place in our city, in our hearts. But we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves, and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans, if we said no to a mosque in lower Manhattan,” according to Michael Bloomberg.

But opponents of the proposed mosque maintain that they will go to court to ensure that the mosque is not built at the location, saying that it is a sign of disrespect to those that perished during the attacks, which was carried out by Islamic extremists.