Tension high amid Roxbury mosque plan
Muslim, Jewish groups at odds
The leader of the Muslim group that is attempting to build New England's largest mosque at Roxbury Crossing has accused a Jewish advocacy organization that has criticized the project of deliberately inflaming communal relations in the Boston area.
Dr. Yousef Abou-Allaban , chairman of the board of the Cambridge-based Islamic Society of Boston, said in a letter to Charles Jacobs , president of the David Project, that the group was trying to thwart local Muslims' dreams of a new place of worship.
Abou-Allaban's letter was a response to a press release a week earlier by the David Project , which had accused the society and the Boston Redevelopment Authority of withholding public information about the mosque project.
"We would like to know why you and others at the David Project appear to be so intent on inflaming relations between our communities," Abou-Allaban wrote. "Do you really hate us that much?"
He said members of the society "are aware of your writings in the Jewish Advocate [newspaper], which we view as essentially rejecting dialogue with Muslims, except those who agree with your political views."
Abou-Allaban's letter did not address critics' questions about fund - raising on behalf of the mosque by Mohammad Ali-Salaam , a deputy director of the redevelopment authority, or about who paid Ali-Salaam's living expenses when he traveled to the Middle East on behalf of the mosque project.
Howard Cooper , lead attorney in an Islamic society defamation suit against the David Project and other critics of the mosque development, said society officials told him the letter was hand-delivered to Jacobs on Thursday.
He said it also was e-mailed to Christian and Jewish clergy and educators who are trying to mediate the dispute. A copy of the letter was provided to the Globe Friday.
Jeffrey Robbins , an attorney for the David Project, said "the David Project is not seeking to inflame anything.
It is seeking answers to questions that the Islamic society and the BRA continue to dodge."
Robbins cited an Islamic Society newsletter that said Ali-Salaam had been enormously successful raising money for it.
"Who paid for Mr. Ali-Salaam to spend 10 days in the Middle East raising money for the Islamic society? " Robbins said. "Who did he solicit? They will not say."
Charles A. Radin can be reached at radin@globe.com. 