Now, 'Ground Zero' mosque developer sued by bank over unpaid loan

New York, Oct 18 (ANI): Valley National Bank is suing the developer in charge of building the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque near ground zero in New York City, and his real-estate company, Soho Properties, seeking over 95,778 dollars interest for an unpaid loan.

The New York Post quoted the court papers, as saying that Sharif El-Gamal's firm had withdrawn a 100,000-dollar line of credit, guaranteed by him from the bank in 2008, but defaulted in early 2009.

He further failed to pay his city taxes in January and July, but agreed to a payment plan in September for 270,000 dollars, including interest.

He moved from the firm's offices in September after his landlord started eviction proceedings over 39,000 dollars in back rent, the paper said.He is one of the leaders of the proposed Ground Zero mosque, two blocks from the site of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, which created controversy because most New Yorkers believe that it was unfair to build the Islamic community center at a place that was destroyed by 'jihadis'.

Earlier, El-Gamal had said that such a hue and cry over the proposed project was irrelevant, as he does not consider his faith responsible for the September 11 terror attacks. (ANI)