Number of mosques rising in the U.S.

WASHINGTON (A.A) – The number of mosques in the United States increased 74 percent since 2000. According to a research on "American Mosque 2011", there are currently 2,106 mosques in the U.S. This figure was 1,206 in 2000 which is one year before September 11 attacks. New York has the highest number of mosques with 257, and followed by California with 246 mosques, Texas with 166 and Florida with 118 mosques. According to the research, only 25 percent of imams (Muslim worship leaders) thinks U.S. community was against Islam. This figure was 54 percent in 2000. 76 percent of the mosques in the U.S. was built after 1980. (Reporting by Mehmet Toroglu)