Why Should We CAIR?

This past Tuesday, four members of Congress, Reps. Sue Myrick, John Shadegg, Trent Franks, and Paul Broun, each members of the House Anti-Terrorism Caucus held a press conference to announce the existence of a document that outlined a national security threat facing Congress.

The document was a memo from a non profit group named CAIR (The Council on American Islamic Relations.)

Since the press conference, Sue and the other Reps have been labeled as racists, anti-Muslim and worse. The backlash was expected from the group whom we targeted (CAIR), but the spin job being put out by some in the media is surprising. Not because we are conservative and most in the media are left-leaning... but because the talking points used by the media outlets are carbon copy of the talking points being put out by the group we exposed. If we were talking about some partisan squabble on health care or tax policy or any other mundane yet daily battle on Capitol Hill I wouldn't really care, but this is different and is very troubling.

So that you understand the real story behind our press conference, allow me to share some background information with you.

1. CAIR is a front group for and has documented ties to the terrorist organization HAMAS. This is not my opinion, or the opinion of Sue or the other members that held the press conference. This is the stated fact by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The FBI has publically stated CAIR has ties to HAMAS, a designated terrorist organization. This was clearly stated in a letter the FBI sent to Sen. Jon Kyl on April 28, 2009:

"As you know, CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development in the United States v. Holy Land Foundation et al. (Cr. No. 3:04-240-P (N.D.TX.). During that trial, evidence was introduced that demonstrated a relationship among CAIR, individual CAIR founders (including its current President Emeritus and its Executive Director) and the Palestinian Committee. Evidence was also introduced that demonstrated a relationship between the Palestinian Committee and HAMAS, which was designated a terrorist organization in 1995. In light of that evidence, the FBI suspended all formal contacts between CAIR and the FBI.”

So CAIR has documented ties to HAMAS, so says the FBI. In case you are not familiar with the Holy Land trial referenced above. It was a Dallas, TX trial that ended with guilty verdicts on 108 counts of funneling money ($12 million) to HAMAS. Let me repeat, CAIR was named by the US Department of Justice as an un-indicted co-conspirator in a HAMAS terrorism case that led to convictions on 108 counts of funnelling money to a terrorist organization. The FBI publically linked the current Executive Director of this organization to HAMAS (see above quote again).

2. Sue's press conference was for the purposes of making public an internal CAIR memo that documented CAIR's stated goal of placing CAIR interns in the offices of members of the Homeland Security, Judiciary and Intelligence Committees. Let me be clear here, CAIR, a group whom the FBI says is affiliated with the terrorist group HAMAS is trying to place their interns in the member offices of those members who serve on the three committees that handle national security related issues. We have the document. We made it public. By any reasonable, objective and common sense standard we did the right thing. To our critics, I simply ask the following: Are you suggesting that you would not have notified anyone in authority if you discovered HAMAS was trying to place people in congressional offices dealing with national security issues? That is the logical conclusion to be drawn by your criticism.

3. Following our press conference, CAIR, immediately labeled the four members as bigots and started their public relations campaign to discredit the members, the authors of the book from which the intern document was obtained, the publisher of the book, etc. etc. This is a classic CAIR public relations strategy. Notice they have critisized every one who has spoken out, but have yet, to disown the documents we unearthed. Get it? They are trying to muddy the water in the court of public perception by labeling anyone who speaks out against CAIR as being anti-muslim. But let's look this claim of racism carefully.

4. No where during our press conference did Sue or any of the other members say they were investigating Muslims being interns on Capitol Hill. No where! Not once. Nada! Don't believe me? Go to http://www.youtube.com/suemyricknc09 and watch the press conference in its entirety. You decide. We were very careful to make sure that the focus of our press conference was on CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations, a group that the FBI severed all ties with, a group whom has documented ties to HAMAS, a group whom was named an un-indicted co-conspirator to a terrorism case that lead to 108 convictions. Now after watching the video of our press conference, go to msnbc's website (http://www.msnbc.com/) and watch Rachel Maddow attack Sue and the other members as saying things they never said. You watch both videos and tell me who is playing the Muslim race card?

Critics, don't you see that CAIR's response said we were targeting Muslim interns, not us? Let me repeat this point: WE ARE FOCUSED ON CAIR, A FRONT GROUP FOR HAMAS, NOT MUSLIMS (read on and you will learn about our history in this effort to reach out to Muslims)

5. This whole incident is part of a much larger informational battle that is being waged right now within the Muslim Community here in America. You need to be aware of this. Groups like CAIR are spending time, money and energy to position themselves to be considered as the spokespeople for the moderate muslim community here in America. Problem is CAIR is not a moderate muslim organization. It is a radical front group for HAMAS and a group called the Muslim Brotherhood (which we will blog about at another time). So who is CAIR competing with for this designation?... The real moderate muslim groups in America. Groups and individuals like the following:

Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi – President World Organization for Resource Development and Education (WORDE)
Zeyno Baran – Director for the Center for Eurasian Policy at the Hudson Institute
Farid Ghadry – President of the Reform Party of Syria
Manda Zand Ervin – the founder and director of the Alliance of Iranian Women
Dr. Ali H. Alyami – Executive Director, The Center for Democracy and Human Rights
in Saudi Arabia
Omran Salman – Arab Reformists Project, 'Aafaq (Arabic for “horizons”).
Dr. Zudi Jasser – American Islamic Forum for Democracy
Karim Bromund – Director of Inter-Religious Affairs for the Islamic Supreme Council of America
Again, let me be clear, Sue Myrick SUPPORTS the Muslim individuals and groups mentioned just above. These groups renounce terrorism. They renounce Hamas. They are trying their hardest to be heard and recognized in America, but are being overshadowed and out funded by CAIR.

Get it? There is a information battle being waged right now and the radical groups are winning. When something happens that impacts the Muslim community in America, the media calls CAIR (an unindicted co-conspirator to terrorism and a HAMAS front group) for comment on behalf of America muslims. What an insult the media is performing on the Muslim Community here in America. Instead they should be calling the American Islamic Forum for Democracy or the Arab Reformist Project, or any of the other moderate muslim groups named above. This is part of the reason why we are focusing our attention on CAIR and exposing them for who they are. For one they pose a threat to our national security and two, they deny the ability of legitimate Muslim groups to gain credibility.

6. Least you think I am merely trying to placate and moderate and some how spin the charges of being anti-muslim to our side, please allow me to tell you about an effort launched back in July of this year that the mainstream media outlets refused to cover. The same outlets that are now falsely claiming we don't want Muslims working on the Hill.

Did you know Sue held a summit on Capitol Hill for moderate Muslims to introduce them to Government officials (elected and within the administration)? How can she be against Muslims working on Capitol Hill and hold such an event? Read one of the few press stories that covered the summit below. I have provided in its entirety with no edits:

"July 31, 2009
Rep. Sue Myrick Hosts ‘Moderate Muslim Summit’
The Editors
Leaders from eight moderate Muslim organizations met on Monday with U.S. Agency heads, Members of Congress and congressional staff at the U.S. Capitol. These meeting were part of an historic Moderate Muslim Summit organized by U.S. Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09). The summit was a first of its kind because it assembled the largest group of diverse Muslims in the U.S. Capitol to discuss issues and policy impacting Muslim communities and societies.

At the summit, Muslim leaders were able to meet with representatives from the State Department, USAID, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense in order to emphasize the importance of having a diverse Muslim voice when addressing Muslim communities and societies. They shared their thoughts and opinions on U.S. foreign policy and aid, and how the U.S. government can do a better job at reaching out and hearing from a more diverse group of Muslims rather than just the largest Muslim organizations that represent a minority opinion in the Muslim community.

“I’ve been working with many of these leaders for several years now,” said Rep. Myrick. “They give us valuable input on policy and provide us with new ideas on how to stamp out extremism in their communities and societies around the word. We set up this summit so we could introduce them to other Members of Congress and U.S. agencies in hopes they will use them as a resource as well. It was very successful and I believe this summit was the first step to empower these leaders so that they will be a strong force in helping our government in combating radical Islamists and extremism.”

Leaders from the following organizations were present at the Summit:

Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi – President World Organization for Resource Development and Education (WORDE)
Zeyno Baran – Director for the Center for Eurasian Policy at the Hudson Institute
Farid Ghadry – President of the Reform Party of Syria
Manda Zand Ervin – the founder and director of the Alliance of Iranian Women
Dr. Ali H. Alyami – Executive Director, The Center for Democracy and Human Rights
in Saudi Arabia
Omran Salman – Arab Reformists Project, 'Aafaq (Arabic for “horizons”).
Dr. Zudi Jasser – American Islamic Forum for Democracy
Karim Bromund – Director of Inter-Religious Affairs for the Islamic Supreme Council of America

Dr. Walid Phares, Senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and academic advisor to the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, moderated the summit. "This first summit of ideologically moderate Muslim American NGOs and leaders held in the U.S. Congress is only a first step in a new direction so that an alternative voice would be added to the debate within the community and about the issues related to foreign policy, defense, national security, and radicalization," said Phares. "This meeting is a sample of the forthcoming initiatives and projects that the NGOs have in mind. Future summits will include a wider circle of leaders and groups. But note that even at this early stage, the Myrick sponsored summit included representatives from various backgrounds: Sunni and Shia, Arab and Iranian, American and foreign born, religious and secular, etc."

Phares added: "The issues discussed with representatives from the State Department, the Defense Department, and US Aid covered a wide range of concerns from terrorism, counter radicalization, humanitarian assistance to community participation in national perception of Muslim public affairs." Phares said that the initial idea, as raised by Representative Myrick who serves as co-chair of the Anti-Terrorism Caucus in the US House, "is to help diversity grow in the debate among Muslim Americans and within the national community on issues important to all citizens." He said that the voices of democracy and pluralism seeking Muslim Americans should be heard by legislators, the Administration and the public."

Brought to you by the editors and research staff of FamilySecurityMatters.org. "

So do you see how untrue it is that Sue and the other members are trying to keep Muslims off the Hill?

See through the lies and see what is really going on here. We are trying to expose a Hamas Front Group (CAIR) for who they are, and they are crying we are anti-Muslim hoping that media outlets will ignore the terrorism claim and instead pick it up as a race/religion story. And guess what? That is exactly what most of the media is doing. Stay focused. We are not Anti-Muslim. Look at the press conference we held. See for yourself whom we targeted.... it's CAIR.

7. For those critics who say we are just right wing Republicans or wing-nuts or any other monikers like that, please google Democrat Senator Charles Shumer or Democrat Barbara Boxer and read some of their comments about CAIR. Shumer has called for a Government-wide boycott of CAIR because of their affiliations with HAMAS. Did you call him a racist? We just called for an investigation of three committees, he called for a GOVERNMENT WIDE ban of the group. Wake up please. Stop the Republican vs. Democrat, Conservative vs. Liberal thing... save that for a political battle. This is not political. CAIR is HAMAS. Are you aware of that, as you are critisizing our efforts to protect you?

8. CAIR is a front group for HAMAS. It was named as an un-indicted co-conspirator to a terrorism case that lead to 108 convictions of funnelling $12 million to HAMAS. After and because of the evidence produced in that case, the FBI severed all ties with CAIR. This same CAIR, by their own admission, is trying to place people inside the offices of members of Congress who deal with national security issues (judiciary, homeland security and intelligence committees). My boss serves on one of those committees, Intelligence, and is the co-chairwoman of the House Anti-Terrorism Caucus and has spent the better part of the last four years working every day on terrorism related issues. Either you believe CAIR/HAMAS or Sue? Which is it?

God help our country and give it the discernment it needs to save itself from destruction.