Council on American-Islamic Relations

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a "non-profit, grassroots membership organization" headquartered in Washington, D.C., and with "CAIR chapters across America."


 * Sayyid M. Syeed - advisor

About
According to the CAIR web site, "CAIR was established to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. We believe misrepresentations of Islam are most often the result of ignorance on the part of non-Muslims and reluctance on the part of Muslims to articulate their case."

CAIR states that it is "dedicated to presenting an Islamic perspective on issues of importance to the American public. In Offering that perspective, we seek to empower the Muslim community in America through political and social activism."

CAIR accomplishes its mission through:
 * Media Relations: working "with media professionals around America to help shape a positive image of Islam. CAIR activists also monitor the local, national and international media to challenge negative stereotypes of Islam and Muslims."
 * Conferences and Seminars: organizing "conferences and seminars for media professionals, government officials and the academic community. These events are designed to present otherwise unavailable information about Islam and Muslims."
 * Publications: "A variety of publications addressing the needs of Muslims in America are offered to opinion leaders and the public. We also publish a quarterly newsletter Faith In Action. CAIR also produces practical handbooks, such as 'Hajj and Ramadan Publicity Kits,' for use by Muslim leaders and activists."
 * Action Alerts: "CAIR issues action alerts to local communities as a means of promoting local activism and generating a grassroots response on important issues. We believe local response is a key factor in making our voices heard."

Controversies
In a March 2007 article on allegations against CAIR, the New York Times reported, "Government officials in Washington said they were not aware of any criminal investigation of the group. More than one described the standards used by critics to link CAIR to terrorism as akin to McCarthyism, essentially guilt by association. 'Of all the groups, there is probably more suspicion about CAIR, but when you ask people for cold hard facts, you get blank stares,' said Michael Rolince, a retired F.B.I. official who directed counterterrorism in the Washington field office from 2002 to 2005." 

The controversies mentioned in the article include:
 * Links between CAIR and people who "have either been convicted or deported for links to terrorist groups," such as "Mousa Abu Marzook, a Hamas leader deported in 1997 after the United States failed to produce any evidence directly linking him to any attacks." The New York Times reported, "There were no charges linked to CAIR in any of the cases involved, and law enforcement officials said that in the current climate, any hint of suspicious behavior would have resulted in a racketeering charge";
 * CAIR accepting "large donations from individuals or foundations closely identified with Arab governments," a practice that some of CAIR's local offices, which "raise their own money and operate largely as franchises," have criticized;
 * House Republicans urging Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi not to allow CAIR to hold a March 2007 panel discussion on Islam and the West in a Capitol meeting room, because the Republicans called CAIR members "terrorist apologists";
 * Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) revoking a Certificate of Appreciation granted in Fall 2006 to a Sacramento CAIR representative, after online critics called her a "Senator for Terror"; and
 * CAIR issuing statements or holding events that are controversial in Washington DC, such as calling for "a halt to weapons shipments to Israel as civilian casualties in Lebanon swelled" in Summer 2006; hosting a dinner with "former President Mohamed Khatami of Iran" in September 2006; and, in November 2006, organizing a "panel discussion by two prominent academics who argue that the pro-Israeli lobby exercises detrimental influence on United States policy on the Middle East."

However their are many other sources that clearly document CAIR leadership's support for groups considered terroris. For example Nihad Awad one of the leaders of Hamas openly state at a Barry University, "I am a supporter of the Hamas movement" http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=755

Daniel Pipes has made extensive documentation of what he believes to be CAIR's connection to terrorism. For example in 1998 CAIR condemned a bullboard critical of Osama Bin Ladn as "offensive to Muslims" They also considered the conviction of the terrorists involved in bombing the World Trade Center in 1993 a travesty of justice and a hate crime. Anothe CAIR leader Siraj Wahhaj is an unindicted co conspirator in terrorist attacks in NY. Additionally he notes "...CAIR Chairman Omar M. Ahmad told a crowd of California Muslims in July 1998, "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran. . . should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on earth...." http://www.danielpipes.org/article/394

Leadership

 * Omar M. Ahmad, Chairman (September 25, 2002)
 * Nihad Awad, Executive Director (December 17, 1998)/(December 23, 2002)
 * Al-Haaj Ghazi Khankan, Executive Director (September 26, 2001)
 * Hussam Ayloush, Head of Los Angeles office (September 25, 2002)
 * Ibrahim Hooper, Communications Director (September 26, 2001)/(September 25, 2002)
 * Siraj Wahhaj, Advisory Board Member (September 25, 2002)

In February 2006 the Council on American-Islamic Relations announced "that it has elected North Carolina State Senator Larry Shaw to its board." 

Contact
453 New Jersey Ave SE Washington, DC 20003-4034 Tel. 202.488.8787 Fax. 202.488.0833 Email. cair@cair-net.org

Web site: http://www.cair-net.org