A proposal to bring a Muslim cemetery to a rural Texas town has stoked fears among residents who are trying to convince community leaders to block the project.
Farmersville is considering a 35-acre development request from the Islamic Association of Collin County. Residents showed up in force at a recent town meeting to oppose the cemetery, which would include an open-air pavilion and small retail area.
Some fear the project would attract radical Muslims to a region of Texas where anti-Islam sentiment has grown over the last year. Farmersville is 25 miles from Garland, which was the scene of a deadly May shooting outside a cartoon contest lampooning the Prophet Muhammad.
Mayor Joe Helmberger calls residents' worries unwarranted and says the cemetery will be approved if development standards are met.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.