Fla. minister: Sept. 11 Quran burn still planned

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FOXNews.com - Ground Zero Mosque Investor Declines Trump's Buyout Offer

Ground Zero Mosque Investor Declines Trump's Buyout Offer

Published September 09, 2010
AP


NEW YORK -- Donald Trump's offer to buy an investor's stake where a mosque is planned near ground zero is falling flat.

Wolodymyr Starosolsky is a lawyer for the investor in the real estate partnership that controls the site. He says Trump's offer is "just a cheap attempt to get publicity and get in the limelight."

In a letter released Thursday by Trump's publicist, the real estate investor told Hisham Elzanaty that he would buy his stake in the lower Manhattan building for 25 percent more than whatever he paid.

"I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse," the letter said.

Trump also attached a condition to his offer: He said that as part of the deal, the backers of the mosque project would need to promise that any new mosque they constructed would be at least five blocks farther away from the World Trade Center site.

The current planned location is just two blocks north of the site. Opponents argue it's insensitive to families and memories of Sept. 11 victims to build a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people, while proponents support the project as a reflection of religious freedom and diversity.

It's unclear how much control Elzanaty has over the property, which is owned by an eight-member investment group led by Soho Properties.

A spokesman for Soho Properties general manager Sharif El-Gamal and his nonprofit group, Park51, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. Earlier in the day, the organization sent a statement to The Associated Press affirming that Soho Properties controlled the real estate and that Elzanaty was one of several investors.

El-Gamal and other people associated with the Islamic center have refused to detail the ownership structure of the real estate partnership that holds the site.

Elzanaty's lawyer did not immediately return a phone message Thursday. But in a pair of interviews with the AP this week, Elzanaty said he had invested in the site with an intention of making a profit and was willing to sell some of it for private development. He also said he supported building a mosque on at least part of the property.
 
saywhatkid said:
Good spin. You are just against those pesky Liberals that are against it. Got it. :eek3:
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TXgolfer said:
:hmm: What happened to seperation of Church and State?????? Free expression of Religion????

Mind you I am against the burning myself.....
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Beowulf said:
And ironically enough, that will cause more resentment against Muslims. Or maybe it was the intent? Who knows? They are just following orders.
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TXgolfer said:
I agree with the bold....as well as increase resentment toward out government. But I seriously doubt that was the intent.......I know you said maybe.
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:wave:
 
TXgolfer said:
:wave:
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So we both assumed battle stances against one another, when we actually agree. Reflex actions perhaps. You asked me about defending his rights to burn, and I asked if you were just against the Liberals. I offer you an apology.

I am glad to see they have called this off.
 
saywhatkid said:
So we both assumed battle stances against one another, when we actually agree. Reflex actions perhaps. You asked me about defending his rights to burn, and I asked if you were just against the Liberals. I offer you an apology.

I am glad to see they have called this off.
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:cool2:
 
Pastor nixes Quran-burning, claims NYC mosque deal - Yahoo! News

Pastor nixes Quran-burning, claims NYC mosque deal


By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, Associated Press Writer – 13 mins ago
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The anti-Muslim leader of a tiny Florida church backed off his threat to burn the Quran, defusing an international firestorm Thursday after he said he was promised that a planned Islamic center and mosque would be moved away from New York's ground zero. The imam planning the center, however, quickly denied such a deal.
The Rev. Terry Jones had been under intense pressure to abandon his plan to burn the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. President Barack Obama urged him to listen to "those better angels" and give up his "stunt," saying it would endanger U.S. troops and give Islamic terrorists a recruiting tool. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took the extraordinary step of calling Jones personally.
Standing outside his 50-member Pentecostal church, the Dover Outreach Center, alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, Jones said he relented when Musri assured him that the New York mosque will be moved.
Jones had never invoked the mosque controversy as a reason for his planned protest. He cited his belief that the Quran is evil because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.
But he said Thursday that that he prayed about the decision and concluded that if the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.
"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said. "We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."
Musri thanked Jones and his church members "for making the decision today to defuse the situation and bring to a positive end what has become the world over a spectacle that no one would benefit from except extremists and terrorists" who would use it to recruit future radicals.


After the news conference, however, Musri told The Associated Press there is no deal to move the mosque. He said there was only an agreement for him and Jones to travel to New York and meet Saturday with the imam overseeing plans to build a mosque near ground zero.
"I told the pastor that I personally believe the mosque should not be there, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it is moved," Musri said. "But there is not any offer from there (New York) that it will be moved. All we have agreed to is a meeting, and I think we would all like to see a peaceful resolution."
In New York, the leader of the Islamic center project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, said he was surprised by Jones' announcement.
"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans. However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri," Rauf said in a statement. "We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."
Jones later insisted that he had struck a deal, without suggesting that he would go back to his Quran-burning plan in light of the imams' denials. He said Musri told him that officials would guarantee that the mosque would be moved.
"We are canceling the event because we have agreed, I take him at his word, he has agreed to move the Ground Zero mosque," Jones said. "I verified that three or four times with witnesses. I trust that man who gave me that. I believe he is a man of integrity, a man of his word, I do not believe that he lied to me."
Jones said that if the mosque is not moved, "then I think Islam is a very poor example of religion. I think that would be very pitiful. I do not expect that."
His decision comes after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. The pope and several other Christian leaders were among those urging him to reconsider his plans, which generated a wave of anger and criticism across the Muslim world. In Afghanistan, hundreds of angry Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.
The cancellation was welcomed in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus.
"It's very good news for Gainesvilile and good news for everyone involved," said City Manager Russ Blackburn.
Jones' neighbors also have said they disapprove. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city had mobilized to plan inclusive events, including Quran readings at services, as a counterpoint to Jones' protest.
Jones' Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. It follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.
Adding to the confusion Thursday was the sudden injection of Donald Trump into the debate over the New York mosque, which is planned to go up two blocks north of the trade center site.
Opponents argue it is insensitive to families and memories of Sept. 11 victims to build a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people. Proponents support the project as a reflection of religious freedom and diversity and say hatred of Muslims is fueling the opposition.
Trump, who made a fortune in real estate, offered Thursday to buy out a major investor in the real estate partnership that controls the site where the 13-story Islamic center would be built.
In a letter released Thursday by Trump's publicist, Trump told Hisham Elzanaty that he would buy his stake in one of the two lower Manhattan buildings involved in the project for 25 percent more than whatever he paid.
"I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse," the letter said.
Trump also attached a condition to his offer: He said that as part of the deal, the backers of the mosque project would need to promise that any new mosque they constructed would be at least five blocks farther away from the World Trade Center site.
Elzanaty's response: No sale.
"This is just a cheap attempt to get publicity and get in the limelight," said his lawyer, Wolodymyr Starosolsky.
He added that the offer's lack of seriousness was evident in the price.
The group collectively paid $4.8 million for the building Trump offered to buy. The other is being leased.
Starosolsky said the real estate partnership had already received two offers in the ballpark of $20 million.
"He knows what the value of the building is. If he were really interested in buying the building, he would have come forward with at least $20 million," Starosolsky said.
Elzanaty added that he remains committed to the idea of having a mosque built on at least part of the property.
It's unclear how much control Elzanaty has over the property, which is owned by an eight-member investment group led by El-Gamal's real estate company, Soho Properties.
El-Gamal said Soho Properties controls the site, but didn't elaborate. His spokesman said he couldn't answer questions about the investment team or ownership issues.
In a pair of interviews with the AP this week, Elzanaty said he had invested in the site with an intention of making a profit and was willing to half the land for private development, and maybe all of it if a Muslim group doesn't come forward with enough money to build the mosque.
 
yizuman said:
Head games, of course. Ground Zero is considered "holy ground" to them because their Muslim brothers brought the buildings down.

Yiz
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No they didn't.
 
Tousi said:
Because I don't believe in shape-shifting extraterrestrial humanoids. :D

Besides, we are off topic. Start a new thread.
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I don't believe in them, either. I agree we are starting to get off topic, though. Hah.
 
TheWriteAlex said:
Hate just breeds more hate. Any self-respecting Christian would condemn this. Thankfully, many already have.

Actually, I think the news media is in a position here where they could really help to alleviate the situation. If they choose to instead focus on all the goodwill and support that Christians, along with other religious organizations in the United States and abroad, are showing in defiance of this, it could be a way to get a message across to all but the most radical Muslims that religions can, and should, coexist peacefully.

If there is a huge bloodbath of American troops and citizens abroad, I am going to blame, first and foremost, the media for the way they covered and fanned the flames of this event. It's like everyone wants to actually see some bad shit happen.

Sickening.
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Just a quick question .... do you consider yourself to be a christian?
 
I have a few questions and I am not sure they are relevant or not. I have had enough time to absorb the situation through media reports going on.

It appears Jones wants a reaction. I am not sure his motivation is completely pure. However, he "might" just be trying to show the true nature of what this administration is doing.

1) When has Obama ever publicly spoken about "religious tolerance" when Muslims burned the Bible?

2) Did Obama prompt Petraeus to denounce Muslims who burned the Bible?

3) When Muslims burn the flag or the Bible, do the Feds pay a visit to talk to the Imam?

4) How much media attention is given to Imams who burn the Bible?

5) Is ANY media attention that might be given to abusive Imams considered anti-Islamic?

6) If Obama denounced Muslims for burning the Bible, would this be considered anti-islamic?

After all, Islam is a religion of peace right?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/285123/christians_in_gaza_fear_for_their_lives.html
 
Wirelessly posted

What does the Gaza have to do with the state of American affair in Afghanistan.
 
souggy said:
Wirelessly posted

What does the Gaza have to do with the state of American affair in Afghanistan.
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Who came to the aid of the persecuted Christians in Gaza? When they made an international plea, who came?

A single pastor in Florida wants to burn a Koran (mind you, he isn't burning down a mosque or killing people)..... Petraeus, Obama, and the Secretary of Defense all rush to defend Muslims.

The taliban are passing leaflets out right now demanding acts of revenge if Jones burns Korans this Saturday. Who knows what those acts of revenge may be? Seriously ..... peaceful intentions? This Mosque on ground zero has not promoted peace and harmony.

An Imam in the UK is demanding all muslims burn the US flag on 9/11 outside US embassies.

They are so .... peaceful.
 
Jiro said:
so who came?
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Father Manuel Musallam

edit: Finally found it:

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9601&size=A


Father Manuel is reluctant to talk about persecution. Instead, he said that “our relations with the Muslims are not only good, they are excellent. I don’t think what happened came from a direct order from Hamas or Fatah. In the past when the Church had difficulties, they came to our defence—for example, when there were demonstrations against the Muhammad cartoons or after the Pope’s speech in Regensburg.”

As proof he said that “just this morning at least a hundred people, both Christian and Muslim, came to see me. Even Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas phoned me from Ramallah to express friendship and his strong condemnation.”
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He is a man of God and peace.


Obama has been giving humanitarian aid to Hamas ... er, Palestine.
 
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