By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced today his office will investigate if a proposed mosque and commercial development in Broken Arrow complies with state law and federal statutes.
We reported in December that the Broken Arrow Planning Commision voted to approve the rezoning request to turn 15 acres of land south of the Creek Turnpike along Olive Aveneue from agricultural use to commercial and conditional use. That area would be used for a retail center a mosque.
The Islamic Center told us plans for a new mosque in Broken Arrow have been in development for nearly a decade.
Broken Arrow City Council is set to hold a special meeting regarding the proposal on Monday, January 12 at 6 p.m.
Drummond said the review was prompted by public concern as well as ownership structure, governance, and financing of the project.
“Oklahomans deserve confidence that local land-use decisions are being made lawfully, transparently and in full compliance with state and federal law,” Drummond said. “My office will examine whether the proposed development and the processes surrounding it meet those legal requirements.”
Dummond says he will also investigate funding sources. The land for the development was purchased by the North American Islamic Trust in 2014.
“Given the realities of global terrorism, there can be no compromise on public safety and security,” he said. “In our state, we have already seen a radical Islamist sentenced for plotting mass murder. Several 9/11 hijackers had attended an Oklahoma flight school. It is only appropriate to act with caution when the project in question might have connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.”
