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Anti-CAIR Press Release 024/03
September 17, 2003



     Mr. Nihad Awad Snubs Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Homeland Security

     On September 10th, 2003, Senator Kyl chaired a meeting of the Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security.  The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) was invited to participate.  Instead of participating, Mr. Nihad Awad elected to submit a document that obliquely insulted the subcommittee by stating: “The American Muslim community has not been adequately represented at congressional hearings in the past.”  

     Mr. Awad complains that the American Muslim community has been underrepresented at congressional hearings and then he decides not to show?  Yes, Mr. Awad, the American Muslim community has been underrepresented, but not by the US Congress.  It has been poorly represented by Hamas terrorist supporters such as yourself who disgrace the Islamic faith in America by your defense of Islamist terrorists and sponsors who pervert the Islamic faith.  Mr. Awad cited a previous engagement to explain his absence.  However, is Mr. Awad the only person who could have spoken for CAIR? 

     Mr. Awad continues by saying that he wants to “make it perfectly clear that CAIR is a national civil rights organization” and that “we do not claim to be experts on terrorism.”  Mr. Awad, formally associated with the Islamic Association for Palestine is not correct when he states that CAIR is a national civil rights organization.  Mr. Awad’s organization exists solely to promote the Wahhabi brand of Islamist hatred and bigotry that is currently responsible for the vast majority of conflicts in the world today. 

     As for his claim that CAIR is not “expert on terrorism”, that may be so; but it does nothing to alter the fact that CAIR is an Islamist terror supporting organization dedicated to the overthrow of the United States government. 

     Mr. Awad further insults the subcommittee by stating: “Looking at the witness list and theme for this hearing, I can say with great confidence that this hearing will be used to vilify and defame the American Muslim Community.”  

     So, to understand this correctly, a subcommittee of the United States Congress, which represents the people of the United States, invites Mr. Awad to address the subcommittee and he states the purpose of the subcommittee is to “vilify and defame?”

     No, Mr. Awad.

     The problem with our Congress is not the vilification of the American Islamic Community, the problem with our Congress is that it has failed to protect the American people from organizations such as CAIR. For far too long, the Congress has allowed itself to believe that organizations such as CAIR are mainstream and representative of Islam in America. The fact of the matter is that CAIR no more represents Islam in America than the KKK represents whiteAmericans. The difference is, at least with the KKK they don’t try to hide the fact that they are bigots. When will you take off the mask, Mr. Awad?
 
     Mr. Awad goes on to attack Mr. Steven Emerson, a leading personality and author in the war against Islamist terror.  On pages 16 and 17 of the document, Mr. Awad presents a laundry list of accusations against Mr. Emerson and concludes by quoting a past executive of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA):

'"The most significant rebuke came from a past executive of the Central Intelligence Agency.
When asked about Mr. Emerson's thesis on American Muslim organizations fronting for
international terrorist groups, especially pro-Palestinian groups, Vincent Cannistraro, a former
director of counterterrorism for the CIA, did not mince his words in an interview with Eric Boehlert
of Salon.com.": "It's total bulls--t," he says.  "He's say(ing) people who move to this country and set up
charities and think tanks...are associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, that there's some
kind of connection between them and Sept. 11, that there's a liaison or support network. He doesn't know
what he's talking about."He continues by saying that, "Neither Hamas (n)or Islamic Jihad, which have an
infrastructure in the U.S. ... has never targeted Americans here ... It would be counterproductive to
their cause. (T)heir focus is Israel and occupied territories."'

     CAIR Executive Director, Mr. Nihad Awad, quotes an interview with a past director of counterterrorism for the CIA in which the former director clearly states that both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have an infrastructure in the U.S. and he uses this as a defense against the accusations made by Mr. Emerson?  

    Is Mr. Awad implying that CAIR approves of the presence of these two Islamist terrorist groups in the United States?  If so, Mr. Awad seriously underestimates the amount of anger and disgust this will engender among Americans toward both he and CAIR.  
 
     Mr. Awad, in his vendetta against Mr. Emerson, has given the Senate more reasons to fear those terrorist support cells and operatives that are already present in our country.  Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have terror murdered Americans abroad, both are present in our country today, both are a clear and present danger to our safety and security and yet we should accept their presence because a former CIA counterterrorism director says, “…has never targeted Americans here…it would be counterproductive to their cause.  (T)heir focus is Israel and occupied territories.”  


     If Hamas and Islamic Jihad have no business in the United States, why are they here?  Why does CAIR support their presence in our country?  What happens to Americans when it’s no longer “counterproductive to their cause” and either, or both, terrorist groups decide to target Americans?  Who is to say they are not here seeking intelligence on targets?  Do we really want Hamas terrorist murder bombers in our malls?  Islamist terrorist members of Islamic Jihad attacking our infrastructure?
 

WHY DOES CAIR SUPPORT THESE GROUPS?

     Are we to believe that CAIR, and their allies in Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah won't harm Americans on our soil because it would harm their cause?

      ACAIR has already tied CAIR to Al Qaeda through their association with Randall "Ismail" Royer, a high ranking former employee of CAIR, currently awaiting trial for several alleged terrorist crimes against the people of the United States.  Al Qaeda has used four airliners full of American citizens to instigate terror by crashing into American landmarks.  Maybe we Americans should consider Mr. Emerson’s research more seriously now that we are at war with Militant Islam?    

     CAIR, in their feeble attempt to damage the credibility of Mr. Emerson, have damned themselves in the process.  Perhaps this is why the senate panel invited Mr. Emerson to testify in the first place?  What else does the senate panel know that we don’t?

     ACAIR applauds Mr. Awad, and CAIR, for allowing all Americans to see just where CAIR stands in the war on terror.  ACAIR hopes that Mr. Awad and CAIR will continue to provide even more evidence that the security of our country is clearly in peril from Islamist terrorism. 

     ACAIR would like to thank Mr. Awad for allowing us to peek into the soul of CAIR and glimpse another example of this Ameriphobic organizations’ hatred for America’s great freedoms and religious tolerance. 

     Nihad Awad's statement is an insult to all Americans.  ACAIR suggests that if the subcommittee should require further testimony from CAIR, that a subpoena be issued and Mr. Awad compelled to testify.  We of ACAIR look forward to the number of times Mr. Awad will claim the protections of the Fifth Amendment in his attempts to protect CAIR from charges of being an Islamic terror front group.  

     ACAIR confidently predicts that this latest blunder by CAIR signals the beginning of the end for CAIR.  They have snubbed a senate subcommittee by substituting a propaganda filled document for live testimony and have, effectively, shown just how hateful and bigoted they are with their own words.

     Will the Congress of the United States carry out its mandate to protect the people of the United States from the Islamist terror supporters of CAIR?  Will a champion arise in the Congress who recognizes the true threat posed by CAIR and lead the fight?  

     Or will we continue to sit on our hands and allow organizations like CAIR to define Islam in America?  Our futures, our lives, ride on the answer.  Let us demand our leaders choose wisely.


 

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