Counterterrorism adviser: No evidence mosque opposition has fueled extremists

There is no evidence that overseas Islamic extremists are using opposition to the planned Lower Manhattan mosque to fuel anti-American propaganda, White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan said Friday.

Brennan was asked at a White House press briefing in Martha's Vineyard whether or not hostile groups have keyed in on what has become a heated domestic debate over the Islamic center.

Brennan's comments suggest that the debate over the planned Islamic center, which includes a mosque, two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks is not a major concern to the nation's war on terror.

The White House, however, has become entangled in the political firestorm over the facility. President Obama last week said he supports the right of a Muslim group to build it, citing religious freedom, which many interpreted as support for its construction.

One day later, the president said that he was not commenting on the "wisdom" of building the center in that specific location.

The debate over the mosque has divided members of both parties as lawmakers are in their districts campaigning for reelection. Some supporters of the mosque have suggested that opponents could be fueling anti-American sentiment overseas because some could perceive the opposition as an anti-Muslim attitude. 

Either way, Brennan said he is not focused on the debate and is instead focusing on carrying out the war on terror.

"We're staying focused on countering terrorist threats wherever they develop," he said. "We are continuing to prosecute the war against al Qaeda very effectively in many places throughout the world," he said. "So the debate of what's going on in New York City is something I'm not really focused on at this point."