CAIR Portrays "War on Terrorism" as Malicious "War on Islam" (CAIR Exposed, Part 6)

The Investigative Project on Terrorism. | Legal Information ^ | March 31, 2008 | Steven Emerson

[K-oneTexas]

CAIR Portrays "War on Terrorism" as Malicious "War on Islam"

by Steven Emerson
IPT News
March 31, 2008

(Note: To read today's full installment, click here: http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/117.pdf)

"The new perception is that the United States has entered a war with Islam itself," CAIR Chairman Parvez Ahmed declared at Washington's National Press Club in July 2007.

But, in fact, CAIR officials and spokesmen have been peddling that same "new perception" ever since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. They have portrayed virtually every intervening prosecution of an alleged terrorist who is Muslim and every investigation of an alleged terrorist front group as an insidious attack on their religion.

Today's sixth installment in IPT's detailed analysis of the self-proclaimed civil rights group focuses on its protestations that the war on terrorism amounts to a war on Islam.

· CAIR and other Muslim groups issued a joint statement after the U.S. government froze the assets of the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) in December 2001, warning that the action "could create the impression that there has been a shift from a war on terrorism to an attack on Islam." A CAIR press release issued the same month warned of "a drumbeat of anti-Muslim rhetoric from those who are taking advantage of the 9-11 tragedy to carry out their agenda of silencing our community and its leadership."

· When authorities arrested CAIR-Texas founding board member Ghassan Elashi and others charged with illegally sending computer equipment to Libya and Syria and engaging in financial transactions with a Specially Designated Terrorist, a CAIR-Dallas press release expressed concern that "these charges result from what appears to be a ‘war on Islam and Muslims' rather than a ‘war on terror.'" The group worried, "We, as American Muslims are facing an uphill battle in defending our own government's foreign policy, as well as the, so-called, war on terrorism, while being targeted by our own law enforcement agencies."

· Responding in June 2002 to a Department of Justice initiative to weed out suspected terrorists, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad asked, "What is next? Forcing American Muslims to wear a star and crescent as a means of identification for law enforcement authorities?"

· In a February 2003 press release, Awad complained of alleged religious and ethnic profiling by the FBI; that same month he remarked in an IslamOnline.net live dialogue, "Now we see extremists, including the Christian Right and the pro-Israel lobby, carrying out a coordinated campaign against Islam and Muslims. The result of this is clearly apparent from the racist policies and practices being carried out by some branches of the U.S. government influenced by these groups."

· At a January 2006 rally in Tampa in support of accused Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leader Sami Al-Arian, the Orlando Sentinel reported, "Awad said Al-Arian was the victim of a politically charged environment three years ago that resulted in the persecution of Muslims. ‘Is this about what we did or what we are?' said Awad.... ‘Most of these cases are done for political reasons…. I think the government is abusing the system.'"

Al-Arian was to plead guilty three months later to his PIJ involvement, and to admit he was "aware that the PIJ achieved its objectives by, among other means, acts of violence."

· Also on the Islam-under-attack bandwagon was Omar Ahmad, chairman emeritus of CAIR National. Speaking at a CAIR fundraiser in October 2002, Ahmad said, "These people hated Islam…before September 11. They are using the opportunity of September 11 to detain Islam Muslims or find the problem and attack the foundations of Islam…We are under attack."

· At another fundraiser in December 2003, Ahmad said, "Many of our civil liberties have been taken away since September 11 in the name of fighting terrorism. The process of marginalizing our community…is ongoing. A lot of media outlets, especially the right-wing outlets, are having a field day attacking Islam, attacking Muslims…"

· Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for CAIR National, is quoted in a December 2001 Denver Post article as saying, "There has been a demonization of Islam." In a July 2003 Chicago Tribune article, he is reported as charging the Department of Justice with pursuing a "general policy of targeting Muslims because they are Muslims." Again, in a May 2004 New York Times article, Hooper is quoted, "I'd be surprised if there's a mosque in the country that hasn't come under scrutiny these days. It becomes the whole Kevin Bacon game -- no Muslim is more than six degrees away from terrorism."

· When FBI Director Robert Mueller asked citizens in 2004 to be on the lookout for seven Muslim terrorism suspects, Hooper termed Mueller's call "part of the ‘round up the usual suspects' mentality," adding, "When you don't have any other leads, you gather up the Muslims."

· Interviewed for a 2003 CNSNews.com story on hearings that Senators Charles Schumer and Jon Kyl had held on Wahhabi influence in America, Hooper commented, "elected representatives like Senator Schumer and Senator Kyl…are jumping on this issue in order to demonize all Muslim groups and all Muslims in America."

· Other CAIR officials around the country -- heads of local groups from Ohio, to Florida, to Arizona, to California, as well as regional and national leaders -- have consistently made pointed charges of anti-Muslim bias. For example, Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR-Southern California, was quoted by the Associated Press in May 2004 as asserting that the United States had become the "new Saddam" and should "end this hypocrisy, this hypocrisy that we are better than the other dictator."

Again, to see today's full installment, click on this link: http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/117.pdf

[BenLurkin]

It’s not our war on Islam.

It is Islam’s war on us.

[JimRed]

The Book Of Revelation states that in the coming conflict one third of the world’s population will die. Our job should be to assure that most of that one third will be MUSLIM!

But without a victory for evil the Antichrist will not gain the required foothold, so I’m sorry to say we’re going to lose.

[yldstrk]

Not malicious.

[PubliusMM]

Islam continues to espouse its ultimate goal to rule the world, under the guise of the global caliphate. Islam is a cancer on humanity, and has been for over 1400 years.

This war against civilization continues. We are now engaged in the latest escalation.

Step one in our defense of the civilized world is to stop the apologists and appeasers in their quest to blame all the world’s ills on the most successful social experiment ever undertaken...the US. Second, we must stop the Islamization of Europe and the west. Our very survival depends on it.

[Missouri gal]

CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad asked, “What is next? Forcing American Muslims to wear a star and crescent as a means of identification for law enforcement authorities?”

Sharia law requires non-Muslims to wear distinguishing clothing. In most Muslim-dominated countries, Christians are required to carry identification labeling them as such, and can be punished for failing to carry it. But they cannot get a job because of it, either. Discrimination in work, housing, equal protection under the law, and in all aspects of society depends upon having the ability to distinguish as Muslim or non-Muslim. Yes, Muslims are afraid their own injustices will come back on their heads-but they can’t afford to give up this discrimination or their system will crash like the falling of the Berlin Wall.

[Telepathic Intruder]

The antichrist isn’t specifically mentioned in Revelations, but anyway its only a temporary defeat. After chapter 13 it starts looking pretty bad for the other side. We’re heading closer to world wide socialism, which I think represents the beastly nature of humanity. It’s a pack instinct that defines right and wrong based on popular opinion, and rejects God because that is spiritual instead. Islam is socialistic, along with communism, which is why they seem to get along so well even though they’re diametrically opposed.

[Iron Munro]

[sageb1]

Thanks for the post. America is still asleep. Or brain dead.

[sageb1]

After reading Emerson’s report, which is a compilation of CAIR’s whining, I will say this. If there was really a war on Islam, we’d be halfway to energy independence by now.

Also, we would have halted immigration and student visas, etc. from Muslim countries. The way of the west has been to assume that multiculturalism would dilute the extremism inherent in the ideology. This thinking is flawed. The western countries that have allowed Muslim immigration have instead found themselves with having to contend with the growth of Islam. Imams from Muslim countries have followed the immigrants and have set up within these communities, radicalizing, propagandizing, proselytizing in prisons, etc.

Muslims here on student visas, as well as those born here, are attending leftist universities which teach the art of victimization. Hence the Unholy Alliance of the left and Islam.

There has been no “war” on Islam. Yet.

[Califreak]

Guilty by their own words!

Terror=Islam

Perfect!