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Saturday, January 14, 2006

What the Heck is CAIR?


Many Americans hardly realize that there is a Muslim organization called C.A.I.R (Council for American-Islamic Relations) operating legally in the United States that minimizes and even facilitates Islamofascist terrorism here and around the globe. Daniel Pipes was one of the first to point out the role and dangers associated with this group, not only for all Americans but also for the mostly loyal, 6 million Arab-Americans in our midst. Three years ago he had this to say (excerpt):

CAIR: 'Moderate' friends of terror
by Daniel Pipes
New York Post
April 22, 2002

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations presents itself as just another civil-rights group. "We are similar to a Muslim NAACP," says spokesman Ibrahim Hooper. Its public language - about promoting "interest and understanding among the general public with regards to Islam and Muslims in North America" - certainly boosts an image of moderation.

That reputation has permitted CAIR to prosper since its founding in 1994, garnering sizeable donations, invitations to the White House, respectful media citations and a serious hearing by corporations.

In reality, CAIR is something quite different. For starters, it's on the wrong side in the war on terrorism. One indication came in October 1998, when the group demanded the removal of a Los Angeles billboard describing Osama bin Laden as "the sworn enemy," finding this depiction "offensive to Muslims."

The same year, CAIR denied bin Laden's responsibility for the twin East African embassy bombings. As Hooper saw it, those explosions resulted from some vague "misunderstandings of both sides." (A New York court, however, blamed bin Laden's side alone for the embassy blasts.)

In 2001, CAIR denied his culpability for the Sept. 11 massacre, saying only that "if [note the "if"] Osama bin Laden was behind it, we condemn him by name." (Only in December was CAIR finally embarrassed into acknowledging his role.)

CAIR consistently defends other militant Islamic terrorists too. The conviction of the perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing it deemed "a travesty of justice." The conviction of Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind sheikh who planned to blow up New York City landmarks, it called a "hate crime." The extradition order for suspected Hamas terrorist Mousa Abu Marook it labeled "anti-Islamic" and "anti-American."

Not surprisingly, CAIR also backs those who finance terrorism. When President Bush closed the Holy Land Foundation in December for collecting money he said was "used to support the Hamas terror organization," CAIR decried his action as "unjust" and "disturbing."

CAIR even includes at least one person associated with terrorism in its own ranks. On Feb. 2, 1995, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White named Siraj Wahhaj as one of the "unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators" in the attempt to blow up New York City monuments. Yet CAIR deems him "one of the most respected Muslim leaders in America" and includes him on its advisory board.

For these and other reasons, the FBI's former chief of counterterrorism, Steven Pomerantz, concludes that "CAIR, its leaders and its activities effectively give aid to international terrorist groups."

To read this entire article, click here.

If you thought by now that this organization would have cleaned up its act, you will be disturbed by this recent article (excerpt) in the online edition of the Jerusalem Post:

Expert: Saudis have radicalized 80% of US mosques
Haviv Rettig
THE JERUSALEM POST,Dec. 5, 2005

Mainstream US Muslim organizations are heavily influenced by Saudi-funded extremists, according to Yehudit Barsky, an expert on terrorism at the American Jewish Committee.

Worse still, Barsky told The Jerusalem Post last week, these "extremist organizations continue to claim the mantle of leadership" over American Islam.

The power of the extremist Wahhabi form of Islam in the United States was created with generous Saudi financing of American Muslim communities over the past few decades. Over 80 percent of the mosques in the United States "have been radicalized by Saudi money and influence," Barsky said.

Before the 1970s, she explained, "Muslim immigrants who came to the United States would build a store-front mosque somewhere. Then, since the 1970s, the Saudis have been approaching these mosques and telling them it wasn't proper for the glory of Islam to build such small mosques."

For many Muslims, it seemed the Saudis were offering a free mosque. However, Barsky believes for each mosque they invested in, the Saudis sent along their own imam (teacher-cleric).

"These [immigrants] were not interested in this [Wahhabi] ideology, and suddenly they have a Saudi imam coming in and telling them they're not praying properly and not practicing Shari'a [Islamic law] properly." This Saudi strategy was being carried out "all over the world, from America to Bangladesh," with the Saudis investing $70-80 billion in the endeavor over three decades.

Barsky, who heads the AJC's Division on Middle East and International Terrorism and is the executive editor of Counterterrorism Watch, said this means that "the people now in control of teaching religion [to American Muslims] are extremists. Who teaches the mainstream moderate non-Saudi Islam that people used to have? It's in the homes, but there's no infrastructure. Eighty percent of the infrastructure is controlled by these extremists."

To read this entire article, click here.

Recent surveys by the Pew Organization have confirmed that Muslims, by a large majority, have no use for terrorists and only want to live in peace and security, not only in the USA but around the world. President Bush, who is president of all Americans, rich and poor, black and white, Muslim and non-Muslim, has gone out of his way over and over again to promote the message that this is not a religious war, and that the rights of Muslim-Americans must be respected. I agree with him on this, not only because it is right, but because a religious war would force millions of Muslims around the world to make a choice they do not want to make. Even so, we must crack down on these nefarious activities of certain Muslim groups in this country, and we have the right to expect much more cooperation from Muslim-Americans than we are getting.

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2 Comments:

At 5:09 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think that this CAIR group also went to bat for that Florida professor Sami Al Arian, who was spreading hate speech at collage campuses and providing money to terrorist organizations. So much, for our so called Saudi friends. With these kind of friends, who needs enemies?

 
At 4:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Being a resident of New York, I wouldn't trust the New York Post to line a cat box. If C.A.I.R. were the dangerous terrorist arm claimed, their members would probably be shipped off to Poland or Gitmo to be "questioned".

I reviewed their website and they look like a peacefully motivated organization - unless it's all a front and their private agenda is subversive somehow. Maybe paranoia is rearing it's ugly head. Maybe not.

But since when is an "unindicted, alleged" anybody subject to harassment, ridicule and predudice and possibly libel?

It is very dangerous to run with what anyone says without checking it out for oneself.

Look at the C.A.I.R. website and see what you think before you make a judgement. They appear to condemn all forms of terrorism (not "terror" or "nukyoolar" this or that...is it too much to ask for our highest elected officials to at least be literate?)

This is verbatim from the C.A.I.R. website...

News Releases
Thursday, July 28, 2005
CAIR backs Fatwa against Terror
English, Arabic, Urdu radio anti-terror PSAs released

(Washington, D.C., 7/28/05) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today offered its support for a fatwa, or Islamic religious ruling, against terrorism and extremism issued by the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and endorsed by more than 120 U.S. Muslim groups, leaders and institutions. (The term "fiqh" refers to Islamic jurisprudence.) The fatwa, released during a news conference this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., states in part:

"Islam strictly condemns religious extremism and the use of violence against innocent lives. There is no justification in Islam for extremism or terrorism. Targeting civilians' life and property through suicide bombings or any other method of attack is haram – or forbidden - and those who commit these barbaric acts are criminals, not martyrs ... In the light of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah we clearly and strongly state: 1. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam. 2. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence. 3. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all civilians. We issue this fatwa following the guidance of our scripture, the Qur’an, and the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him."

SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/downloads/fatwa-english.txt

SEE: "U.S. Muslim Scholars to Forbid Terrorism", "From Muslims in America, a New Fatwa on Terrorism"

In a statement read at the news conference, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said: "United, we can confront the terrorists and frustrate their goal of sparking an apocalyptic war between faiths and civilizations ... The presence here today of American Muslim leaders indicates the willingness of our community to strengthen national security and to work with policy-makers to gain victory over this international menace to humanity." CAIR urged that the fatwa be read by Imams, or Islamic prayer leaders, at Friday prayers across the United States.

Awad also announced the release of radio versions of CAIR’s 30-second “Not in the Name of Islam” television public service announcement (PSA) in English, Arabic and Urdu. The PSA campaign ties into CAIR’s “Not in the Name of Islam” online petition drive designed to disassociate the faith of Islam from the violent acts of a few Muslims. To listen to the PSAs, go to: English | Arabic | Urdu | TV Video

CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. To read CAIR's Mission, Vision Statement and Core Principles, go to: http://www.cair-net.org/default.asp?Page=About

 

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