FOLLOW UP: Iman of NYC's Ground Zero mosque steps down after anti-gay comment

The man who was the Islamic head of  New York city's so-called Ground Zero Mosque has stepped down – after claiming gay people were child abuse victims.

Iman Abdallah Adhami, who suggested that homosexuality is mainly caused by emotional or sexual abuse, was a senior adviser to the Park 51 project.

However after just three weeks in the position, the imam has been forced to quit after stirring up yet more negative publicity for the much-maligned proposal.

Adhami, who in one of his numerous lectures said that homosexuality is a result of a “painful trial” caused by past trauma, has stated he now intends to work on a book that will aid English-speaking readers “in understanding and facilitating the language of the Koran,” according to the New York Times.

Despite this latest embarrassment, plans are still going ahead to raise the $100 million (£63 million) needed to make the 13-story Muslim community center – set to be located two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan – a reality.

According to The New York Observer, Park 51 developer Sharif El-Gamal made the announcement that Adhami was to be replaced, saying: “We have been humbled by Imam Adhami’s contributions to this project over the past few months,

Despite Adhami's openly-homophobic comments, he added: “His teachings and scholarly work on the Islamic faith remain an important part of our community. We look forward to him, God willing, leading prayers informally for Park51 in the near future.”


by Lyndsey Clark http://news.pinkpaper.com