The spiritual leader of a New York City Shia mosque, the Al Khoei Islamic Center, has gone on record as a holocaust denyer. Sheik Fadhel al Sahlani told the New York Sun that the Nazi massacre of an estimated 6 million Jews during World War II "has been exaggerated". Al Sahlani joins the radical leader of Iran, President Ahmadinejad, in denying the extent of the Holocaust and calling for an international scholarly conference to reopen debate on it.

The al Khoei Islamic Center was visited by the Jewish mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg in April of 2003. The mosque's website proudly displays images of Mayor Bloomberg with the Holocaust denying al Sahlani. The mayor delivered a speech on how there would be no discrimination against Muslim-Americans. Apparently those Muslims would not be so kind to those of Bloomberg's faith.

Other images show al Sahlani presiding over graduation ceremonies at the Islamic Center's school. One of the pictures shows what appears to be a high school comedy skit. One of the comedic characters appears to be a Jew coming on to a blonde woman.

And there are those who do not think antisemetism runs rampant in mosques?

The photos are posted below. Thanks to Drew who runs Michael Savage's website for the tip on the story.

New York Sun:

"The numbers which have been mentioned are too much," the spiritual leader of the Imam Al Khoei Islamic Center in Jamaica, Sheik Fadhel al Sahlani, told The New York Sun. Sheik al Sahlani, who said his mosque has a membership of about 3,000, said that the killing of innocent Jews during the war was "an injustice" but that the extent of Nazi persecution needed further examination. "The numbers, the reasons, we have to study more," he said.

In that light, Sheik al Sahlani voiced his support for Iran's proposal to hold a conference on the Holocaust in Tehran, saying there is "nothing wrong with studying more." The conference is likely to include scholars who deny that the Holocaust took place.

The sheik's skepticism about the Holocaust follows President Ahmadinejad's recent statements that the genocide of the Jews is a "myth" and that Israel should be "wiped off the map." Sheik al Sahlani said that the Iranian leader's call for an end to Israel was not practical, but added, "It is a kind of dream, but we have to be realistic. Even we have to accept a fact that we don't like."

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