Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf will no longer be the chief religious figure in the Ground Zero mosque project -- though he will still play a lesser, behind-the-scenes, role in support of the planned building, organizers of the controversial project said.
Rauf's replacement, Imam Abdallah Adhami will now handle religious programming for the project, known as Park51.
Park51 organizers played down Rauf's reduced role, focusing on the imam's nationwide tour on interfaith relations. He speaks to the Islamic Society in North America's diversity conference today in Detroit. He remains on Park51's board of directors.
There have been rumors that relations between Rauf and Sharif El-Gamal, the president and chief developer of Park51, had worsened.
"It is an honor for me, personally, to welcome Imam Adhami to our team. I look forward to his leadership and assistance in the development of Park51," said El-Gamal.
Project critics pointed to Adhami's links to Imam Siraj Wahhaj whom prosecutors called an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 WTC bombing. Wahhaj was a character witness in the trial of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman.
Tim Brown, a retired fireman who responded to 9/11 and has sued to block the mosque, said it seemed like Park51 and Rauf had "got a divorce."
"Imam Rauf can't raise money needed for the project. He's toxic. He's only hurt the 9/11 survivors, not built bridges," said Brown.
Brown was troubled by Adhami's link to Wahhaj.
"Siraj Wahhaj is as radical as you can get," he said. 
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