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Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero, is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations in Manhattan for at least one hour Monday morning, according to CBS News.
In an interview with ABC on Sunday, Rauf may have given a glimpse of what he will say. Citing concerns similar to those associated with Florida Pastor Terry Jones's Koran burning, Rauf said that "My major concern with moving it is that the headline in the Muslim world will be, 'Islam is under attack in America.' This will strengthen the radicals in the Muslim world, help their recruitment."
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani this weekend tried to make the issue one of common sense: "Common sense and a real dedication to healing that these men of God would have, would tell you not to -- because you are hurting too many people."
But Rauf believes the mosque will build peace and encourage dialogue. "This is a house with multi-faith stakeholders," he said, "with multi-faith partners intended to work together toward building peace."
Rauf also claims that there is growing Islamaphobia in the U.S., and said that Muslims in America are not treated as Americans.
That's in contrast to what fellow Muslim Dr. Zuhdi Jasser said this weekend. In an appearance on CBS and in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Jasser said that American Muslims have forgotten that they are Americans first, Muslims second, and that there is "absolutely" no rising Islamaphobia in the U.S.
Rauf is scheduled to speak around 8 a.m ET.
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