New York's Largest Mosque is Built on Extremist Ties and Federal Money
A new four-story Muslim center in the Bronx is facing scrutiny after it received over $1 million in federal funding, with critics pointing to the organization's past and an imam's public statements.
A new Muslim center under construction in the Bronx has become the subject of a growing controversy after it was revealed to have received over $1 million in federal funding. The Bronx Muslim Center, which will be the largest mosque in New York upon completion, is set to be a four-story, 32,000-square-foot facility in the Morris Park neighborhood.
The federal funding, a Community Development Block Grant of $1,050,000, was secured by U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, who stated the grant was intended to help the center expand its social services. "The purpose of the federal grant at issue is to support the expansion of the Bronx Muslim Center so that more Muslim residents of the Bronx have a place to worship freely," Torres said, framing the project as a matter of First Amendment activity.
However, critics have raised concerns about the funding, noting that federal regulations prohibit grants from being used for "inherently religious activities." While the center claims to offer social services, its primary function will be to accommodate up to 2,000 people for religious services and Sharia study sessions. The organization operating the center, the Muslim American Society (MAS), has been a point of contention. According to federal prosecutors and FBI documents from a past raid, MAS has been identified as the American arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. The organization has also been accused of promoting extremist views in the past.
Further criticism has been leveled at the center's leadership. An NYPD intelligence document reportedly found that "individuals believed to be supporters/members of Hamas may have links to the Bronx Muslim Center." The center’s Imam, Hamud Alsilwi, has been accused of making inflammatory public statements, including praising Hamas founder Ahmad Yassin and endorsing the practice of stoning. During the ongoing war in Gaza, he has been accused of posting messages online stating that the war "stirs jihad in the souls of Muslims, which terrifies the West."
Financial records suggest that the federal grant is the primary source of funding for the center's construction. The mosque's private fundraising has reportedly only reached less than $500,000 of its $1.5 million goal, making the federal contribution crucial to the project.