Paterson wants more unity, less bickering over mosque project - protests planned for building site

The governor made his strongest statements yet against the project yesterday during a radio interview with conservative pundit Monica Crowley.

"The longer we have this feud the more the terrorists are laughing," Paterson said. "With worldwide terrorism on the increase, we need to be together even though we have political differences."

Paterson has called on developers of Park51, the planned mosque and community center two blocks north of Ground Zero, to move the project to another site in Manhattan.

He has asked for a meeting with leaders to discuss the idea of offering state land as an incentive to move, but no such meeting has been scheduled, he said.

"The latest as of this weekend is they are really waiting for the imam to come back from a trip overseas," Paterson said of the would-be talks. "I'm still hopeful we'll have a meeting."