Muslim groups, meeting in NYC, say all Americans may worship where they please

Muslims: Americans may worship where they please

NEW YORK — U.S. Muslim groups, discussing the ground zero mosque controversy, say Americans of all faiths have the right to build houses of worship where they please.

The statement was made Monday as part of a New York summit to discuss the proposed Islamic center near ground zero. It called for tolerance and decried “ethnic bigotry.”

The groups called for a “National Week of Dialogue,” with a focus on the weekend of Oct. 22 through Oct. 24. It said Muslims will hold open houses at their places of worship to promote understanding.

The summit included the Islamic Society of North America; the Islamic Circle of North America; the Muslim Alliance of North America; and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.