The Fifth Column Report

CAIR Rallies To Defend Terrorist

CAIR joined a coalition of Arab American groups, The Chicago Tribune, and others to file briefs protesting Federal Judge Amy St. Eve's ruling to close her court during sensitive testimony in the trial against suspected terrorist, Muhammad Salah.

Background: Muhammad Salah, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Jordan was arrested and had his assets seized in 1998. It wasn't until 2004 that he and two other co-conspirators were indicted by a Grand Jury on RICO violations of money laundering for the terrorist group HAMAS. According to the DOJ, Salah "traveled throughout the United States and to London, Israel and the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on behalf of Hamas, meeting with its leaders and members, recruiting and training new members in the United States, and disbursing money from the United States to directly support the activities of Hamas." The five-count indictment also sought forfeiture of approximately $2.7 million - not a bad stash for a gentleman whose occupation was listed as a "used car salesman". The indictment can be found here.

Salah was just one of at least 94 known terrorists operating on U.S. soil.

More troubling is CAIR's defense of and association with a suspected terrorist. Contrast CAIR's reaction with that of the ADL when Irv Rubin, leader of the JDL was arrested on alleged acts of terrorism. CAIR continues to portray itself as a mainstream Muslim "civil rights and advocacy group", yet their actions speak otherwise.