Here Are 5 Things You Need to Know About the Council on American Islamic Relations

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), perhaps imprudently, placed itself at the forefront of media coverage on the Muslim killing spree in San Bernardino. In an effort to peddle politically expedient myths like “workplace violence,” CAIR desperately tried to displace blame and de-link the self-evident connection of Islam with Syed Farook’s lethal motivations.

The Islamic lobbying group was so eager to exonerate Islam that it featured and counseled the murderer’s family in its press conference. Naturally, social media lit up with incredulity:

So, CAIR was pretty fast to that microphone, huh?

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 3, 2015

Impressive that #CAIR located family member of suspect mere minutes after public release of suspect’s name.

— Mike Flynn (@Flynn1776) December 3, 2015

That’s not a gigantic tell or anything. https://t.co/ieNZ9w0cg3

— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) December 3, 2015

#SanBernadino shooter’s brother-in-law speaks at @CAIRNational press conference, says he has “no idea” why shooter did this. Almost cliche.

— Ali A. Rizvi (@aliamjadrizvi) December 3, 2015

Here are 5 things you need to know about the Council on American Islamic Relations:

1. CAIR is listed as a terrorist group by foreign governments.

Surprisingly, Arab governments are willing to admit what the Obama administration is not: CAIR is not just a lobbying group, but an organization that fosters and promotes radicalism and perhaps even terrorism.

“The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was one of 82 groups around the world designated terrorist organizations by the United Arab Emirates, placing it in the company of Al Qaeda, Islamic State, and others,” reports Fox News.

“[The list is] a clear message to the world about the UAE’s stance against terrorism, extremism and fanaticism, focusing on and putting a cordon around all subversive entities that seek to undermine the security and stability of the state and seeks to protect the community from extremist ideology,” declared a senior Emirates official.

The UAE is unequivocal in its stance against CAIR. “We cannot accept incitement or [terror] funding when we look at some of these organizations. For many countries, the definition of terror is that you have to carry a weapon and terrorize people. For us, it’s far beyond that. We cannot tolerate even the smallest and tiniest amount of terrorism,” stated UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

CAIR has been placed between a rock and a hard place as a result of the UAE’s unwavering denouncement of its activities. “The designation of CAIR by a Muslim Arab country puts the organization in a difficult spot. CAIR cannot attack the UAE as bigoted Islamophobes, as is its usual strategy with its critics,” explains The Clarion Project, an anti-extremist non profit organization.

2. CAIR is cozy with the Obama administration.

The U.S. based pro-Muslim group “enjoys close ties with the Obama administration,” according to Fox News. “[CAIR] has held hundreds of meeting with White House officials on a wide range of community issues and has sought to present itself as a mainstream Muslim organization.”

When CAIR dispatched its robust legal and PR task force to publicize and sensationalize the fake news story of Ahmed “The Clock Kid,” President Obama took the bait, inviting the now disgruntled Qatari resident to the White House.

Even the Emiratis are dumbfounded by the Obama administration’s sycophancy. “The noise (by) some Western organizations over the UAE’s terrorism list originates in groups that are linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and many of them work on incitement and creating an environment of extremism,” suggested UAE State Foreign Affairs Minister Anwar Gargash. The Foreign Affairs Minister insisted that CAIR is indeed part and parcel of the Muslim Brotherhood lobby.

3. CAIR is directly connected to Hamas.

Hamas, the Islamic Palestinian death cult, or as Obama calls them Israel’s “partners in peace,” is perhaps the most well-known terrorist group in the world, behind ISIS and al-Qaeda.

The Muslim jihadist regime has run roughshod over Gaza since it seized power in 2005 after Palestinians first held a fully democratic election. Financed and trained by Iran, Hamas is the prime instigator of violence against Israeli citizens, firing unguided rockets at densely populated civilian centers in Israel.

Unsurprisingly, CAIR is essentially an offshoot of the terror group. In fact, Hamas “indirectly created CAIR and the two groups remain tight,” according to National Review. “In 1994, CAIR head Nihad Awad publicly declared his support for Hamas; the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), a Hamas front group, contributed $5,000 to CAIR; in turn, CAIR exploited the 9/11 attacks to raise money for HLF; and, this past August, demonstrators at a CAIR-sponsored rally in Florida proclaimed ‘We are Hamas!’”

4. Federal prosecutors have investigated CAIR for alleged criminal activity, filing lawsuits against the lobbying group.

According to National Review, “Federal prosecutors in 2007 named CAIR (along with two other Islamic organizations) as ‘unindicted co-conspirators and/or joint venturers’ in a criminal conspiracy to support Hamas financially. In 2008, the FBI ended contacts with CAIR because of concern about its continuing terrorist ties.”

In addition, CAIR’s individuals members have been involved in terrorism and other jihadist enterprises. “At least seven board members or staff at CAIR have been arrested, denied entry to the U.S., or were indicted on or pled guilty to (or were convicted of) terrorist charges: Siraj Wahhaj, Bassem Khafagi, Randall (“Ismail”) Royer, Ghassan Elashi, Rabih Haddad, Muthanna Al-Hanooti, and Nabil Sadoun,” reports National Review.

5. CAIR has launched a jihad of censorship against human rights activists, women’s rights advocates, and liberal Islamic reformers.

CAIR is notorious for its witch hunts, tracking down and blacklisting anyone who dares to criticize the very idea of Islamic theology. The group’s main tactic is verbal slander. Black feminist and ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a frequent target of CAIR’s vitriol, despite her lived experience as a victim of forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The group’s jihad against dissent is a time-honed ritual. “As reliably happens when CAIR plays its tired ‘Islamophobia’ card, universities across the nation cower — especially universities with active Muslim Students Association chapters,” notes National Review.

In fact, CAIR vehemently opposed the release of the women’s rights advocacy film, Honor Diaries, on the basis that it was “Islamophobic.” For anybody with a beating heart, the film Honor Diaries should not be controversial.

“Honor Diaries is an important film that explores the brutality and systematic inequality faced by women in Muslim-majority societies. It features both believing Muslim women, like Dr. Qanta Ahmed (whose compelling essay about the film was published here at National Review Online yesterday), and former Muslims like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the renowned author and human-rights activist,” explains National Review. “The purpose of Honor Diaries is to empower women by shining a light on the hardships they endure — including “honor” killings (i.e., murders over the perception of having brought shame to the family by violating Islamic norms), beatings, genital mutilation, forced marriage — particularly of young girls – and restrictions on movement, education, and economic opportunity. The film highlights authentic Muslim moderates struggling against the dead-end of Islamic supremacism.”