U.S. has killed more innocent civilians

Islamic cleric behind Ground Zero mosque says U.S. has killed more innocent civilians than Al Qaeda

By Daniel Bates
Last updated at 12:59 AM on 25th August 2010

The Islamic cleric behind plans for a mosque at Ground Zero in New York has claimed that the U.S. is worse than Al Qaeda.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said that America was more culpable than the terrorist organisation because U.S.-led sanctions were responsible for the death of half a million Iraqi children.
'We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than Al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims,' he said.

Controversial remarks: Islamic cleric Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has sparked outrage by claiming America has killed more innocent civilians than Al Qaeda

The comments, made in an interview in 2005, have been highlighted this week on a conservative American blog.
Rauf is the driving force of plans to put a £70million mosque two blocks away from where the Twin Towers once stood.

 

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His comments raise further questions over whether or not funding for the project will come from regimes that back terrorists, something the mosque leaders have refused to rule out.
A poll has showed that more and more Americans are taking an interest in the Ground Zero mosque, and that 62 per cent are now against the project compared to 54 per cent in July.
Rauf's comments drew condemnation from Debra Burlingame, head of 9/11 Families for a Strong America, who said they left her feeling disgusted.

Weekend protest: Angry scenes broke out on Sunday at the site of a planned mosque two blocks away from where the Twin Towers stood

'This man is out there preaching politics and advancing anti-American propaganda,' she said.
In the interview, Rauf said that any debate about Islam was hampered because Western audiences have yet to appreciate the damage they have inflicted on Muslims.
He said: 'What complicates the discussion, intra-Islamically, is the fact that the West has not been cognizant and has not addressed the issue of its own contribution to much injustice in the Arab and Muslim world.
'It's a difficult subject to discuss with Western audiences, but it's one that must be pointed out and must be raised.'

Shocked: This man was surrounded by protesters against the mosque because they thought he was a Muslim

Rauf's comments, which emerged on a conservative U.S. blog, came as a poll showed that more and more Americans are taking an interest in the Ground Zero mosque, and that the majority oppose it.
Some 85 per cent of those questioned said they are following news stories about the project, a 34-point jump from a month ago.
Some 62 per cent are now against the project compared to 54 per cent in July.
Rauf's comments drew condemnation from Debra Burlingame, head of 9/11 Families for a Strong America, who said they left her feeling disgusted.
'This man is out there preaching politics and advancing anti-American propaganda,' she said.