CAIR Says US Using National Security Issues To Attack Muslim Civil Rights

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The National Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has used the occasion of the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s Cairo speech to the Islamic world to accuse the US of using national security issues as “a cover for the erosion of American Muslim Civil liberties. According to the CAIR statement:

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today offered what it called a “mixed” review of President Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world one year after his historic speech in Cairo. At a news conference this morning in Washington, D.C., CAIR issued a statement analyzing the Obama administration’s actions in the past year and how those actions matched statements made in the Cairo address. In summarizing that analysis, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said: “The president has done a solid job in setting a new tone in relations with the Muslim world, standing by Muslim appointees who were subjected to political smears and undertaking positive initiatives such as the Muslim entrepreneurship summit. “However, we remain concerned about issues such as the ability of American Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation of zakat, or charitable giving. We are also concerned that national security issues are being used as a cover for the erosion of American Muslim civil liberties. “Overseas, our nation appears on target in meeting its timetable for leaving Iraq. But violence is escalating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and given the disturbing news out of the Middle East this week, we believe it is time for our government to demand an end to Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza.” In its analysis of the president’s 2009 Cairo speech, CAIR recommended that the Obama administration “initiate a meaningful and sustained engagement effort with the U.S. charitable community focused on finding solutions that draw on the expertise of charitable organizations.” The CAIR statement called on the president to nominate members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and to push Congress to pass the End Racial Profiling Act. CAIR also urged the Department of Justice to update its 2005 report on the FBI’s use of confidential informants. On the international front, CAIR stated: “We should address the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan based on a reduction in our nation’s intervention and on increased support for indigenous solutions based on the will of the people and the decisions of democratically-elected governments.” CAIR noted that throughout the last year, American Muslims have communicated their ideas, support and concerns to the administration. Shortly after the Cairo speech, CAIR launched the second phase of its “Share the Quran” program, which was inspired in part by the president’s use of quotes from the sacred text in that address. CAIR also helped encourage volunteers to support “United We Serve,” the administration’s summer-long community service initiative focused on clean energy, education and literacy, health care access and awareness, economic recovery, disaster preparedness, and support for veterans and military families.

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.”

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