The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has announced that its annual fundraising banquet, featuring a keynote address by Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), exceeded its fundraising goals. According to the CAIR press release:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Some 800 people turned out Saturday evening in Arlington, Va., for the annual fundraising banquet of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The sold-out event, which featured a keynote address by Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), exceeded its fundraising goal by bringing in more than $400,000 to support CAIR’s civil rights and advocacy work. “We thank all those who –- despite a poor economy –- donated to support CAIR’s important work to defend the civil, constitutional and religious rights of Americans of all faiths,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This strong demonstration of support clearly shows that the community understands the critical need for CAIR’s work.” Awad said this year’s banquet fundraising total was one of the highest in CAIR’s 17-year history. The annual banquet, which also featured awards recognizing community leaders and service organizations like the Muslim Community Center (MCC) Medical Clinic in Maryland, was preceded by a day-long leadership skills training conference attended by almost 200 community activists from across the nation.
A prior CAIR announcement indicated that the banquet was also to be addressed by Siraj Wahaj, an American Islamic convert tied to the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood and an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing,
Documents released in the Holy Land Trial have revealed that the founders and current leaders of CAIR were part of the Palestine Committee of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as identifying the organization itself as being part of the US. Brotherhood. A recent post discussed an interview with the Deputy leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in which he confirms a relationship between his organization and CAIR. Investigative research posted on GMBDW had determined that CAIR had it origins in the U.S. Hamas infrastructure and CAIR and its leaders have a long history of defending almost all individuals accused of terrorism by the US. government, frequently calling such prosecutions a “war on Islam.” In 2009, a US federal judge ruled “The Government has produced ample evidence to establish the associations of CAIR, ISNA and NAIT with HLF, the Islamic Association for Palestine (“IAP”), and with Hamas.”