Most Americans object to mosque at Ground Zero: poll

Most Americans have opposed construction of the planned mosque near Ground Zero in New York, according to a new national opinion poll today.

According to the Washington Post-ABC News poll, most Americans say the planned Muslim community centre and place of worship should not be built in Lower Manhattan, near the site of the Twin Towers which were blown up by al Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001.

Two-thirds of those polled object to the Ground Zero mosque while a slim majority expresses strongly negative views.

As many as 82 per cent of those who oppose the construction say it's because of the location, although 14 per cent (nine per cent of all Americans) say they would oppose such building anywhere in the country.

"The new results come alongside increasingly critical public views of Islam: 49 per cent of all Americans say they have generally unfavourable opinions of Islam, compared with 37 per cent who say they have favourable ones," the Post reported.

"Nearly a third of all Americans see mainstream Islam as encouraging violence, little changed from recent years, the poll said, while a slim majority; say it's a peaceful religion."