Kirk Douglas "confused" about NY mosque plans

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A "confused" Kirk Douglas has weighed in on the controversial plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero, urging more Muslims to condemn the sort of terrorism that brought down the Twin Towers.

The legendary 93-year-old actor, a New York native, wrote on his MySpace page he and son Peter have been debating the topic.

"I have argued that it could be painful to the families of the many victims who died there. But I am confused because I have had several Muslim friends for many years," he wrote.

His son, he reported, believes that it's a free country so the mosque should be built. No word yet on what son Michael thinks about the issue.

Kirk Douglas, who often delves into politics online, ended his post with this plea: "A part of me says the people who brought about such horrific destruction on the World Trade Center were Muslims that attended a mosque and who believed that America should die. Of course, I wish more Muslims, like my friends, would speak out and condemn those actions. I am confused."

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg shows no hint of confusion over his support of construction of a giant mosque and Islamic cultural center a stone's throw away from where the Twin Towers once stood. "If it moves forward, I expect the community center and mosque will add to the life and vitality of the neighborhood and the entire city," Bloomberg said in a speech reiterating his support for the initiative last week.