CAIR-Cleveland & Northern Ohio

Tag: Challenge Islamophobia

  • BREAKING: CAIR to Release New Evidence Showing Anti-Muslim Hate Group Used Paid ‘Spies’ to Surveil Prominent Muslim Leaders, Groups for More Than a Decade

    BREAKING: CAIR to Release New Evidence Showing Anti-Muslim Hate Group Used Paid ‘Spies’ to Surveil Prominent Muslim Leaders, Groups for More Than a Decade

    Muslim civil rights group says a former IPT spy and a former IPT staffer have come forward to apologize, detail their roles in targeting Muslim community.

    (WASHINGTON, D.C. – 1/12/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to hold a press conference today to detail new evidence showing that an anti-Muslim hate group working with the Israeli government spent more than a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars to surveil and spy on prominent Muslim organizations and leaders, including then-Rep. Keith Ellison.

    The Washington Post today published an exclusive report on this issue.

    CAIR also plans to announce that two individuals–a former IPT staffer and a Muslim who worked as a spy for IPT–have come forward to confess, apologize for their involvement and provide detailed information about the hate group’s activities and motivations.

    WHAT: Virtual Press Conference on New Spying Evidence

    WHEN: Jan. 12, 2022 @ 3 p.m. ET

    WHERE: Mainstream media professionals may contact CAIR National Communications Director Ismail Allison for a link to the event at iallison@cair.com. CAIR also plans to live stream the event on Facebook.

    WATCH: Virtual News Conference on New Evidence of Anti-Muslim Group’s Spying on Muslim Organizations

    Last month, CAIR announced that CAIR-Ohio director Romin Iqbal had been terminated for passing information about CAIR’s civil rights work to that anti-Muslim hate group, the so-called Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT). IPT is led by far-right extremist Steven Emerson, who has been described as an “anti-Muslim activist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

    In the days after Iqbal’s termination, a Virginia Muslim voluntarily came forward to admit and apologize for working as a paid IPT spy from 2008 to 2012.

    Another individual, a whistleblower from within IPT, has provided a statement and evidence showing that the hate group spent years surveilling, spying on and undermining various Muslim leaders and organizations in an effort to protect the Israeli government from criticism.

    “We are working diligently to uncover, disrupt and expose every attempt that this anti-Muslim hate group and its allies have made to spy on American Muslims in service to the Israeli government,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “We commend the whistleblowers who are coming forward to apologize, take responsibility and provide information. In the coming weeks, we plan to continue releasing additional information as we uncover and validate it.”

    “The fact that anti-Muslim bigots and anti-Palestinian racists have invested so much time and effort in spying on our community is a sign of the importance of our community,” said CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell. “These hate groups are terrified that American Muslims will use our political activism, civic engagement and legal work to advance justice here and around the world. They’re right to be afraid because that’s exactly what we’ve been doing and will continue to do, God willing.”

    The evidence CAIR plans to review today includes a statement from the IPT whistleblower, a statement from the Virginia Muslim who once worked as a paid spy for IPT, a tax form showing that Emerson’s for-profit corporation paid that individual over $30,000 for one of his years of spying, an excerpt from a dossier that the hate group compiled on former Rep. Keith Ellison, and an excerpt of an IPT transcript of a private meeting that national Muslim leaders held to discuss the Park51 controversy in 2010.

    [NOTE: CAIR has redacted certain personal information, such as tax ID numbers and email addresses, as well as quotes from conversations that IPT recorded without permission].

    In addition to CAIR, Muslim organizations and leaders surveilled or spied on by IPT include then-Congressman Keith Ellison, the Park51 community center, the Muslim Alliance of North America, the Islamic Society of North America, Muslim American Society, the Muslim Legal Fund of America, Muslim Advocates, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Zaytuna College, among others.

    According to the whistleblowers who have come forward, IPT was also working with multiple Republican members of Congress and the Middle East Forum (MEF), an anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian hate group founded by the racist writer Daniel Pipes.

    BACKGROUND

    In December, CAIR announced that multiple individuals involved in Muslim activism, including CAIR-Columbus Executive Director Romin Iqbal, were acting as spies for IPT. IPT is led by Steven Emerson, who has been described as an “anti-Muslim activist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center. CAIR also released email exchanges showing that IPT was actively collaborating with Israeli intelligence officials working in the office of then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    CAIR plans to continue investigating this matter and releasing additional information in the coming weeks.

    CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

    La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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    Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.

    If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com

    END

    CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com

  • CAIR Issues New Islamophobia Report Exposing More Than $105 Million Funneled to 26 Anti-Muslim Groups by Mainstream Charitable Institutions

    CAIR Issues New Islamophobia Report Exposing More Than $105 Million Funneled to 26 Anti-Muslim Groups by Mainstream Charitable Institutions

    Washington, D.C., based Muslim civil rights group also relaunches Islamophobia monitoring site Islamophobia.org

    (WASHINGTON, D.C, 1/11/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a new Islamophobia report titled “Islamophobia in the Mainstream,” listing 35 charitable institutions and foundations that funneled almost $106 million to 26 anti-Muslim groups between 2017-2019.

    READ THE REPORT: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/islamophobiainthemainstream.pdf

    WATCH: CAIR Virtual News Conference on Facebook Announcing Release of the Report  

    https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/videos/300031201937993

    CAIR also reported a slight decline in private grantmaking foundations funneling money to anti-Muslim groups since its last report, Hijacked by Hate.

    Washington, D.C., based CAIR also relaunched Islamophobia.org to monitor and combat Islamophobia. CAIR will add new profiles of anti-Muslim organizations and individuals who perpetuate anti-Muslim tropes and spread Islamophobic bigotry. The site will also offer anti-prejudice tools, tips to be an advocate and all of CAIR’s Islamophobia and civil rights reports.

    CAIR’s new “Islamophobia in the Mainstream” report shows that Islamophobic organizations remain active and continue to receive large sums of money through private family foundations and mainstream donor-advised funds that are ultimately used to spread misinformation and perpetuate stereotypes about Muslims and Islam.

    The funders include household names such as Fidelity and Schwab and faith-based charities such as the Jewish Communal Fund and the National Christian Charitable Foundation. They also include private family foundations such as the Adelson Family Foundation which contributes millions of dollars to support anti-Muslim activity.

    Anti-Muslim hate groups listed in the report include: The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Gatestone Institute, Center for Security Policy, Middle East Forum, Middle East Media Research Institute, David Horowitz Freedom Center, Clarion Project, and the Investigative Project on Terrorism, among many others.

    In 2010, ACLJ supported Oklahoma’s “Save our State” Amendment, which aimed to prohibit state courts from considering foreign law or Sharia when constructing procedures. The amendment was later struck down in federal court and was found to be unconstitutional on the basis of its potential to do harm to Muslims, a ruling that was upheld by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in January 2012.

    The report also outlines the landscape of Islamophobia between 2019 – 2020 by detailing more than a dozen anti-mosque incidents and anti-Muslim activity in schools, American politics and social media.

    In a statement, CAIR’s National Research and Advocacy Coordinator Huzaifa Shahbaz said:  

    “It is no secret that the Islamophobia Network remains hyper-active and well-funded. Despite a slight decline in foundations that funneled money to anti-Muslim groups, millions of dollars still flow to organizations that spread misinformation and perpetuate dangerous stereotypes about Muslims and Islam. Today, more than ever, the philanthropic community must establish clear policies to prevent funds from going to hate groups and implement educational initiatives for staff and board members to help them understand the extent of anti-Muslim bigotry.” 

    Key findings from the report include:  

    1. Among the top 50 largest charitable institutions and foundations reviewed, 35 funneled a combined total of $105,865,763 into 26 Islamophobia Network groups.
    2. Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism Inc., Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, Schwab Charitable Fund, Marcus Foundation, the Adelson Family Foundation, and the Jewish Communal Fund were among the top funders of the U.S. Islamophobia Network between 2017-2019 (from the 50 largest charitable institutions and foundations reviewed).
    3. The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) received a combined total of over $60 million from the Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism Inc between 2017- 2019. The law firm has a history of supporting anti-Muslim policies like the Muslim Ban. In 2017 the ACLJ filed a supporting court brief in defense of the Muslim Ban. In 2010, the ACLJ filed a lawsuit to prevent the construction of the Park51 Center, objecting to its two-block proximity to the site of the World Trade Center.  
    4. CAIR school bullying reports from select states demonstrate that students continue to face physical and verbal abuse for being Muslim and do not feel comfortable expressing their Muslim identity and engaging in classroom discussions about Muslims and Islam.
    5. CAIR identified 16 anti-mosque incidents between 2019-2020, including incidents of damage, destruction, and vandalism (DDV), intimidation, and harassment.
    6. Between 2019-2020, CAIR identified 40 instances in which institutional leaders shared or posted anti-Muslim content online. CAIR’s report defined institutional leaders as individuals who hold a position of influence or power within our trusted institutions — for example, a school board member or a police chief.
    7. Seven individuals with a history of Islamophobia were either appointed or nominated to serve in the Trump administration.

     

    CAIR’s report also included the following recommendations:  

    1. Charitable institutions should implement clear anti-hate policies and procedures to ensure funds are not granted to hate groups.
    2. Interfaith communities and religious institutions should design and implement faith-based programs dedicated to marginalizing hate speech and anti-Muslim bigotry in local communities.
    3. Philanthropic institutions should familiarize staff and stakeholders with the major actors and influencers in the Islamophobia Network.
    4. Organizations should investigate their grantmaking procedures to learn if they are intentionally or unintentionally funneling money to Islamophobia network groups.
    5. Philanthropic and religious institutions should hold educational initiatives for staff and board members to understand the scope of anti-Muslim bigotry and what constitutes Islamophobia.

     

    Methodology: Data on the Islamophobia Network’s financial information were acquired through a thorough review of thousands of pages of publicly available tax filings, in addition to searchable databases, namely GuideStar and Foundation Directory Online.

    CAIR noted that it received more than 6,000 complaints involving discrimination, harassment, bullying, physical assaults, and other incidents nationwide.

    SEE: 2021 Civil Rights Report: Resilience in the Face of Hate   

    https://islamophobia.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Islamophobia-Report-Resilience-in-the-face-of-hate.pdf

    CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

    La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

    Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook

    http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational

    Subscribe to CAIR’s Email List

    https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters

    Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed

    http://twitter.com/cairnational

    Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel

    http://www.youtube.com/cairtv

    Follow CAIR on Instagram

    https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/

    Donate to CAIR

    https://action.cair.com/a/donate

    Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.

    If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com

    END           

    CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com

  • CAIR-CLEVELAND: 120 People Join Teatime for Peace to Challenge Islamophobia, Stereotypes

    CAIR-CLEVELAND: 120 People Join Teatime for Peace to Challenge Islamophobia, Stereotypes

    (CLEVELAND, OHIO, 10/24/16) – More than 120 people recently joined the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland), West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church and local religious, civil society and social justice groups for “Teatime for Peace,” an event to help dispel stereotypes about Islam and Muslims.

    The event was part of an ongoing series of interfaith gatherings being held in Cuyahoga, Summit and Lake Counties designed to foster support for the Muslim community in light of increasing Islamophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric in American politics and media.

    “From the enthusiastic turnout for the event, it is clear that people want an antidote to counter the rising hate rhetoric, division and religious scapegoating in our society,” said Isam Zaiem, CAIR-Cleveland board treasurer and co-organizer of the event. “This event was a chance to counter fear and hate with honest connection and conversation through getting to know one’s Muslim neighbors right here in our local community.”

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  • CAIR-Cleveland: Northeast Ohio Muslims to Co-Host Teatime for Peace to Challenge Islamophobia, Stereotypes

    CAIR-Cleveland: Northeast Ohio Muslims to Co-Host Teatime for Peace to Challenge Islamophobia, Stereotypes

    (CLEVELAND, OHIO, 10/5/16) – On Tuesday, October 18, the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland), West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church and local religious, civil society and social justice groups will co-host a “Teatime for Peace” event to provide the chance to get to know the local Muslim community and to help dispel stereotypes about Islam and Muslims.

    The event is part of a series of interfaith gatherings being held in Cuyahoga, Summit and Lake counties designed to foster support for the Muslim community in light of increasing Islamophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric in American politics and media.

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  • CAIR Livestream Event Muslims to Challenge GOP Islamophobia at Cleveland Convention

    CAIR Livestream Event Muslims to Challenge GOP Islamophobia at Cleveland Convention

    Muslim civil rights group will distribute free packets of “ISLAMOPHOBIN,” a mock-medicine designed to “cure” Islamophobia

    (CLEVELAND, OH, 7/17/16) – On Monday, July 18, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, will hold a news conference at the site of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, to challenge the anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim stance of the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump and of other party officials and representatives.

    MEDIA NOTE – CAIR’s news conference will be livestreamed on its Facebook page at:https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational (more…)

  • CAIR-Ohio Joins Racial Justice Group to Present Forum on Islamophobia

    CAIR-Ohio Joins Racial Justice Group to Present Forum on Islamophobia

    (CLEVELAND, OH, 2/11/2016) – The Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Cleveland) recently presented a forum on Islamophobia to members of the local chapter of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) at the West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River, Ohio. SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing for racial justice.

    The forum focused on the historical roots of Islamophobia, its current causes and consequences and how groups like SURJ could help to counter anti-Muslim bias and hate. The forum also highlighted the anti-Muslim bigotry and hateful rhetoric that has permeated the current U.S. presidential campaign.

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