(American Enterprise Institute)David Frum - Two weeks ago, the National Post and I were served with a notice of libel by the Canadian branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). Until recently, CAIR has had considerable success winning acceptance in the U.S. and Canada as something close to an official spokesman for local Muslim communities. CAIR was founded in 1994 by alumni of an older group, the Islamic Association for Palestine. The IAP, founded by senior Hamas figure Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook, calls for the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state under Islamic law in Israel's place. Since 9/11, three CAIR associates in the U.S. have been indicted on terrorism-related charges. New York Senator Chuck Schumer has charged that CAIR members have "intimate links to Hamas." Illinois Senator Richard Durbin, noted for his sensitivity to Islamic concerns, has said that CAIR is "unusual in its extreme rhetoric and its association with groups that are suspect."
2004-11-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive