Klayman and First Responder Forras say nothing has changed and GZ mosque would open old wounds and case must proceed to stop it
(New York, New York, May 3, 2011). Larry Klayman, founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, and a former U.S. Senate candidate, today issued the following statement in the wake of Osama Bin Laden’s death:
“Freedom Watch, my client Vinnie Forras, a brave First Responder who has sued the Ground Zero mosque and its Imam, and I salute the efforts of the American military to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice. These efforts were heroic! But the war on terrorism continues and Bin Laden’s death is just one step along this long road to victory.
“Following Bin Laden’s death, Vinnie and I were interested to see the response of Imam Rauf of the Ground Zero mosque, which we have sued to stop. Not surprisingly, it took Rauf, who has demonstrable ties to those supporting terrorism and who stated on CBS’s ’60 Minutes’ that the United States was an accomplice to the attack, almost a day to make a statement. And, when Rauf did issue a statement, he suggested that the death of Bin Laden means that the 9/11 tragedy and war on terrorism are over, and that peace and healing must occur. Many radical Muslim states also suggested that the war on terrorism is no longer necessary; one such state was Iran, and Iran yesterday chided the United States to get out of the Middle East as a result.
“While this may sound good to some, the death of Bin Laden does not end the memory of 9/11 and the war on terrorism or relieve American Muslims from their duty to back it. Nor does it exonerate Rauf and his planned Ground Zero mosque from the terrorist threat this affront to the victims of 9/11 will cause again to New York City. Clearly, if there is a healing from the death of Bin Laden, as Rauf would like to spin for his own purposes, then building a mosque at Ground Zero would, at a minimum, open these wounds, even if it is not an instrumentality of terrorism.
“As late as yesterday, Rauf told various media organizations that he intends to proceed with the mosque. So where is this so-called healing from him and his ‘friends.’ Instead, he now wants to continue his psychological terrorism against the victims of 9/11.
“The war on terrorism continues and this success regarding Bin Laden is just a milestone along the way. Imam Rauf, not surprisingly, is spinning Bin Laden’s death for his own nefarious purposes.”
For an interview with Mr. Klayman and Mr. Forras, call 310-595 5317 or email leklayman@yahoo.com.