New York:
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led New Yorkers during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, has spoken out against the proposed mosque near 'Ground Zero' and described the move as "divisive".
Giuliani, who was the Mayor during the September 11 attacks, said the organisers' plans are breeding of hatered rather than healing wounds.
"This project is creating tremendous pain for people who've already made the ultimate sacrifice. All you're doing is creating more division, more anger, more hatred," he told NBC.
Developers want to build the US $ 100 million community center, including a mosque, at a building two blocks north of Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center.
Giuliani's remarks put him squarely at odds with the current mayor Michael Bloomberg, who supports the move to build the mosque.
He joins several prominent US leaders like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich, who have spoken out against the mosque. Giuliani said the organizers have "every right" to build the center two blocks from the site of the fallen Twin Towers.
"The question is, should they build it?" he said. "Are they displaying the sensitivity they claim by building it?"
Kuwait-born Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the developer of the 100 million dollar Muslim Community Centre called Cordoba House, insists that it "a center for all New Yorkers" and "its purpose is to interweave America's Muslim population into the mainstream society."
A poll by the Siena Research Institute finds that 63 percent of New Yorkers oppose the Islamic Centre and mosque.
A recently conducted CNN poll found that 68 percent of Americans nationwide, both Republicans and Democrats, were opposed to building a mosque near the Ground Zero site.
Last week, President Barack Obama came out in support of religious freedom enshrined in the constitution and said Muslims had the right to build the Islamic Centre.
"Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country, Obama said.
But, Obama clarified later that his remarks only related to the rights of the American-Muslims but did not address whether the mosque should be built on disputed site.
"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there," he said.