A largely-unknown coalition of imams in the city is confronting the dangers of radical Islam head-on during Friday prayers. NY1’s Ruschell Boone filed the second part of her week-long series on Muslims in New York City.

Imam Charles Aziz Bilal of Jamaica, Queens, seen above, is speaking out and not mincing words. He tells followers that radicals and their interpretation of the Quran will not be tolerated at his mosque, Masjid-Al-Hamdu-Li-Llah.

"We've got to identify these people and let them know, ‘Brother, that's not what we're about,’" he says.

Bilal is among more than 200 imams belonging to a New York-area council who regularly use Friday prayers to speak out about radical Islam and terrorism.

"No one should be afraid to speak out against someone who says they are Muslim and they are wrong. The brother who did what he did in Fort Hood, [Texas], he's wrong. He's wrong,” says Bilal. “The behavior [accused gunman Major Nidal Malik Hasan] displayed was un-Islamic and the Muslim community condemns it."

Bilal says his mosque security recently threw out a man for making anti-American comments. According to Bilal, he and his fellow imams meet once a month to talk strategy and are also on the lookout for mysterious packages and large, anonymous donations.

They are alert because even a mosque visitor is caught in illegal activities, the mosque and imam could still be linked by authorities to any wrongdoing.

"We are educating the community in regards to people coming in to infiltrate them and trying to tell them to do things which is not according to the religion of Islam," says Imam Mohammed Azeem Khan of Masjid Omar Ben-Abdel-Aziz.

While the imams are speaking out in the mosques, there is some debate as to whether they should be speaking to authorities as well. Some say that creates a trust issue among their worshippers.

"Because of the fear of who is an informant, who is going to say anything and take whatever is said during the prayers or during the meetings out of context," says community organizer Ayesha Mahmooda of Desis Rising Up and Moving.

The imams say there is little choice.

"I have had several meetings with the FBI,” says Khan. “Those who don't want to speak out and they have a reservation, well, they have a problem."

So the religious leaders hope to set an example for the larger Muslim community.