Metro

GZ mosque in 9/11 cash grab

(
)

The developers behind a controversial bid to build a mosque and Islamic center at Ground Zero have upped the ante in their audacious effort by applying for $5 million in 9/11 rebuilding funds — outraging some family members and first-responders.

The grant application by Park51, the name of the proposed $100 million mosque and center, is now before the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., and would be used to pay for some construction costs, as well as programs.

Arabic classes, along with counseling for immigrants, veterans and domestic-violence victims would start up in a matter of months, beginning in the existing buildings even before construction starts on the proposed 13-story center.

But one downtown rebuilding source said they “found it difficult to imagine” that Park51 would meet the requirements for a grant since they have no existing programs, no other funding and have yet to get federal tax-exempt status.

Park51 is among 265 applications seeking a slice of the $17 million in federal funds available in cultural and community enhancement grants through the LMDC. The total amount of requested funds is $175 million.

“Why would we give them money ahead of so many other worthy groups?” fumed Tim Brown, a retired firefighter and first responder on 9/11 and a leading opponent of plans for a mosque two blocks north of the World Trade Center.

“It’s so upside down,” Brown said of the project, which is a joint venture of real-estate developer Sharif El-Gamal and Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf.

“They are the ones who insist the project is not at Ground Zero and then the next thing you know is they want to leverage 9/11,” Brown said.

Debra Burlingame, whose brother was a pilot on one of the hijacked airliners, cautioned against the use of any 9/11 funds for the mosque.

“This is federal money, it was not intended to fund a propaganda issue,” said Burlingame. “If the LMDC gave them a penny, it would enrage everyone in lower Manhattan.”

A spokesman for Park51 said the grant, if received, would fund programs available to all residents downtown and would help create 150 permanent jobs once the center is built.

“Park51 remains committed to exploring all sources of revenue and funding to build the community center in Lower Manhattan,” said spokesman Larry Koop.

A committee of six LMDC board members will review all the grant applications.

tom.topousis@nypost.com