Downtown Mosque Imam, Wife Received Death Threats: Police

The wife of an imam planning an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero says she and her husband have received death threats.

Daisy Khan said Sunday the lives of her and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf are ``under threat.''

Police confirm telephone threats were made. Khan was part of a discussion of Islam on ABC's "This Week'' news program.

She says moderate Muslims like her must lead the fight against extremists. She says if moderates are branded extremists they'll be thrown into the arms of al-Qaida.

Developer Sharif El-Gamal has released preliminary sketches of the Islamic center. He says groundbreaking is probably two to three years away.

Opponents say the center should be farther away from where Islamic extremists destroyed the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

Supporters say religious freedom should be protected.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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