CAIR) Steven Merley
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Global Muslim Brotherhood Research Center Extremism and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Steven Merley January 2007 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................1 SYNOPSIS ........................................................................................................................................7 BacKGROUND ................................................................................................................................7 SCOPE OF INQuiry AND DEFINITIONS .........................................................................................8 1. Fundamentalism ............................................................................................................................8 2. Anti-Semitism ...............................................................................................................................8 3. Terrorism ........................................................................................................................................8 FOUNDING OF CAIR ........................................................................................................................8 Islamic Association for Palestine .......................................................................................................8 Founding of CAIR ........................................................................................................................... 11 Early Activities ................................................................................................................................ 12 1. True Lies ................................................................................................................................. 12 2. Jihad in America .................................................................................................................... 12 3. Anti-Terror Legislation ........................................................................................................... 13 4. Oklahoma City ....................................................................................................................... 13 5. Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin ......................................................................................................... 15 6. Mousa Abu Marzook ............................................................................................................. 15 CAIR StructurE AND OPEratiONS............................................................................................16 Structure ......................................................................................................................................... 16 1. Civil Rights ............................................................................................................................ 16 2. Government Affairs ............................................................................................................... 16 3. Media Relations .................................................................................................................... 17 4. Action Alerts and CAIR-NET .................................................................................................. 18 5. Research ................................................................................................................................ 18 6. Internships ............................................................................................................................. 18 7. CAIR Publications .................................................................................................................. 18 8. Education: Conferences, Seminars and Workshops .............................................................. 18 9. Voter Registration .................................................................................................................. 18 10. Outreach and Interfaith Relations ...................................................................................... 19 Other Activities ............................................................................................................................... 19 Leadership ...................................................................................................................................... 19 1. Omar Ahmad (Chairman Emeritus) ....................................................................................... 19 2. Nihad Awad (Board Member) ............................................................................................... 20 3. Ibrahim Hooper (Communications Director) ........................................................................ 20 Funding .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Extremism and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) iii CONTENTS EXTREMISM—GLObaL AFFILiatiONS .........................................................................................21 Saudi Arabian Fundamentalism .................................................................................................... 22 1. Muslim World League ................................................................................................................ 22 2. World Assembly of Muslim Youth .............................................................................................. 23 Muslim Brotherhood ...................................................................................................................... 23 EXTREMISM—U.S. AFFILiatiONS ................................................................................................25 Islamic Society of North America ................................................................................................... 25 International Institute of Islamic Thought ...................................................................................... 26 Muslim American Society ............................................................................................................... 27 American Muslim Council .............................................................................................................. 27 Solidarity USA ................................................................................................................................. 27 Bridges TV ....................................................................................................................................... 29 ORGANIZatiONAL EXTREMISM—FUNDAMENtaLISM ..............................................................29 Statements of Leaders.................................................................................................................... 30 Organizational Positions ................................................................................................................ 30 Ideological Uniformity .................................................................................................................... 32 ORGANIZatiONAL EXTREMISM – ANTISEMITISM .......................................................................33 Anti-Semitic Statements ................................................................................................................ 33 Anti-Semitic Speakers .................................................................................................................... 36 Other Anti-Semitic Activities .......................................................................................................... 37 ORGANIZatiONAL EXTREMISM—STATEMENTS ON TERRORISM ...............................................38 Weak and Qualified Condemnations ............................................................................................. 38 Encouraging Victimization ............................................................................................................. 39 Counter Counter-Terror .................................................................................................................. 42 ORGANIZatiONAL EXTREMISM – TIES TO PALESTINIAN TERRORISM ........................................44 Public Defense of Hamas Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 44 Organizational Links to Hamas Infrastructure ............................................................................... 45 1. Islamic Association for Palestine ........................................................................................... 45 2. Holy Land Foundation ........................................................................................................... 46 3. KindHearts ............................................................................................................................. 46 3. United Association for Studies and Research ....................................................................... 47 4. Mosque Foundation .............................................................................................................. 47 Public Defense of Palestinian Islamic Jihad ................................................................................... 48 1. Sami Al-Arian ......................................................................................................................... 48 2. Farwaz Damra ......................................................................................................................