Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > CAIR States Support for Hamas - Statements Made Days Before Hamas Terror Attack on Israeli Teens
CAIR States Support for Hamas - Statements Made Days Before Hamas Terror Attack on Israeli Teens
March 7, 2008
March 7, 2008 For Immediate Release Contact: Joe Kaufman ([email protected])
CAIR STATES SUPPORT FOR HAMAS
STATEMENTS MADE DAYS BEFORE HAMAS TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAELI TEENS
(Coral Springs, FL) On Saturday, March 1, 2008, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) expressed its support for Hamas and denied that Hamas was a terrorist organization. The statements were made, during an Americans Against Hate (AAH) rally against CAIR's usage of the Broward County Convention Center, a government-owned facility.
Whilst speaking into a microphone bearing CAIR's name and logo, CAIR-Florida representative Jawhar "Joe" Badran stated clearly on video, "Hamas is not a terrorist organization." At the time, Badran was standing next to the Executive Director of CAIR-Florida Altaf Ali.
Other statements made by Badran at the rally, include: "Hamas is a defender of the Palestinian people. That's what Hamas is." And "Hamas is better than Fatah, because there's no corruption. Hamas takes care of the people."
The statements were made less than a week prior to the terror attack on a Jerusalem school perpetrated by Hamas. The attack left eight Israeli students dead.
The press release issued by Hamas's military wing, the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, claiming responsibility for the attack, can be seen here.
AAH Chairman Joe Kaufman stated, "It is unconscionable for CAIR to state its support for a group that targets youth with terrorist attacks. Given CAIR's ties to Hamas, we call on our government to, once and for all, shut the organization down."