The Council on American-Islamic Relations is the hyper-aggressive group which designates almost anyone critical even of radical Islam as “Islamophobic.”
CAIR has done more than any group, except perhaps the Southern Poverty Law Center, at chilling speech on topics of national and international concern.
CAIR also is a key component of the Democratic Party coalition, using its media savvy to demonize opponents.
I wonder how CAIR is going to wiggle out of being designated by the United Arab Emirates as a terrorist group? Is the UAE “Islamophobic”?
Rosie Gray at Buzzfeed Reports:
The United Arab Emirates has listed two American Muslim organizations on its list of designated terrorist groups, according to an announcement released on state media on Saturday.The UAE has classified the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim American Society as terrorist groups, according to a story on the website of WAM, the official news agency.Also reportedly designated as terror groups were the Muslim Brotherhood, the Muslim Association of Britain, and the charity Islamic Relief.The list also covers groups widely thought of as terrorist groups, like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.The new American additions to the list are not categorized as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government. The Muslim American Society is a non-profit founded in 1993 in Illinois by Muslim Brotherhood members. The UAE also designated other Muslim Brotherhood affiliates as terrorist groups, including some in the Emirates.CAIR is a well-known American Muslim advocacy group, based in Washington. The FBI listed it as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 trial of the Holy Land Foundation, which was later convicted of giving millions of dollars to Hamas. A federal judge later ruled that the government should not have included CAIR, which was never charged with a crime, in the list of unindicted co-conspirators.
Al Arabiyah has the full list. AP confirms the report.
Of course, the UAE saying it is so doesn’t make it so.
But there is a sweet irony in seeing an outfit that viciously plays the “Islamophobia card” against opposing voices be called a terrorist group by an Islamic country.
Not unexpectedly, the internet is celebrating, mostly:
Update 11-16-2014: CAIR Responds to ‘Bizarre’ Move by UAE, which reads in part:
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/16/14) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today responded to reports that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has added CAIR to its list of “terrorist” groups.In a statement, CAIR said:“We are seeking clarification from the government of the United Arab Emirates about this shocking and bizarre report. There is absolutely no factual basis for the inclusion CAIR and other American and European civil rights and advocacy groups on this list.“Like the rest of the mainstream institutions representing the American Muslim community, CAIR’s advocacy model is the antithesis of the narrative of violent extremists.”We call on the United Arab Emirates cabinet to review this list and remove organizations such as CAIR, the Muslim American Society and other civil society organizations that peacefully promote civil and democratic rights and that oppose terrorism whenever it occurs, wherever it occurs and whoever carries it out.” ….
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