FBI Severs Ties With Prominent Muslim Charity Group
Jan 2009 David Goodhue - AHN Reporter
Miami, FL (AHN) - The FBI is severing ties with a prominent U.S. Muslim advocacy
group because the agency says there's mounting evidence the group has ties with
the Palestinian militant organization, Hamas.
The bureau had a working relationship with the Council on American-Islamic
Relations, or CAIR, but has cut ties with the group after a 15-year FBI
investigation that led to the conviction of a Hamas contributor in December,
where a CAIR official was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.
An FBI official told FOX News that field offices nationwide have stopped dealing
with CAIR.
The FBI worked with members of CAIR who were used as liaisons with the American
Muslim community.
FBI agents say CAIR's executive director, Nihad Awad, was involved in planning
meetings with the Holy Land Foundation. Five Holy Land Foundation members were
convicted in December of funneling $12.4 million to Hamas. The U.S. government
considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
Prosecutors in that trial identified CAIR's chairman emeritus Omar Ahmad an
unindicted co-conspirator in the case.
CAIR officials unsuccessfully sued to have Ahmad's name removed as a
co-conspirator, and the group is protesting the FBI's decision to sever
relations.
