Sep 20, 2007 6:50 am US/Eastern
Ahmadinejad Request To Visit Ground Zero Denied
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to visit New York during the week of Sept. 23, 2007. (File)
Behrouz Mehri/AFP/Getty Images
It may be a free country, but for some the president of Iran's request to visit the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York is being called a "tasteless trip," reports CBS station WCBS-TV in New York.
The New York Police Department declared ground zero is off-limits to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, after he asked to visit the World Trade Center site.
Family members of those killed in the attacks recoiled at the mere suggestion that Ahmadinejad would be allowed to visit the site where 2,750 people were murdered.
"He wants to use ground zero as a platform," Charles Wolf said.
"Why would we let a terrorist like Ahmadinejad stand in front of ... shall we say ... the success story of another terrorist? He's working side-by-side with Al Qaeda against us in Iraq. Why in the world we would we let him stand in front of their success in America?"
The controversy began when NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters Ahmadinejad was in talks with the city to place a wreath at the World Trade Center site.
"We're engaging in conversation with him right now with that possibility," Kelly said. "If that does happen he would not be able to go down into the site."
New York's presidential candidates immediately denounced the visit. Sen. Hillary Clinton called it "unacceptable" while former Mayor Rudy Giuliani labeled the idea "outrageous."
Then the NYPD press office said the commissioner misspoke, insisting Ahmadinejad's request to visit ground zero had already been denied. "The site is closed to visitors because of construction there. That was the only request. Requests for the Iranian president to visit the immediate area would also be opposed by the NYPD on security grounds."
One way or the other, Ahmadinejad is coming to New York. He's been invited by the United Nations to address the Security Council and speak at Columbia University next week.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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