Joe Kaufman Speech

Joe Kaufman Speech, March 3, 2007

Protest Against CAIR and Siraj Wahhaj

Friends,

We gather here tonight to expose a fifth column that resides within America and, tonight, they are holding an event inside this convention center.

As has been told many times before, CAIR was created by a front for the terrorist organization Hamas, in 1994. That organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine or IAP, was the brainchild of none other than the number two leader in Hamas today, Mousa Abu Marzook. If it hasn’t been made clear in the past, I want to make it clear today – If it were not for Mousa Abu Marzook, CAIR would not be in existence!

The IAP, CAIR’s parent organization, was a Hamas propaganda center, as it published the Hamas charter in different languages, and it produced Hamas terrorist training videos. In 2005, the IAP was shut down, after it had been found liable for the murder of an American boy, David Boim, who lost his life during a Hamas operation in Israel. In fact, every U.S. organization that had ties to Mousa Abu Marzook no longer exists – all except CAIR.

CAIR is the only one that is still around, and we’re here to say to the government of the United States that it’s time to end this thorn in America’s side and SHUT CAIR DOWN!

CAIR’s National Executive Director, Nihad Awad, has publicly stated his support for Hamas, and CAIR-Florida’s Communications Director, Ahmed Bedier, said that there was “nothing immoral” about associating with Palestinian Islamic Jihad before 1995. As well, Bedier hosted a radio show, where all three of his guests lauded Hezbollah, a group that is responsible for the murder of 241 American servicemen on October 23, 1983.

Recently, United States Senator Barbara Boxer rescinded an award she had given to a CAIR leader. As pointed out by Newsweek Magazine, last December, “Boxer was particularly concerned by claims that CAIR had refused to condemn Hamas and Hizbullah and recognize those groups as terrorist organizations.” In fact, to prove the Senator right, in the course of just 13 days, four officials from CAIR refused to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist groups. They include CAIR’s National Executive Director, Nihad Awad, CAIR’s National Communications Director, Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR’s National Legal Director, Arsalan Iftikhar, and CAIR-Sacramento’s Executive Director, Basim Elkarra.

Four former representatives from CAIR have been charged with terrorist activity by the U.S. government -- two were convicted and two were deported. One of those individuals is Randal Todd Ismail Royer. On September 24, 2001, as CAIR’s Communications Specialist, Royer spoke at a press conference on what CAIR called an “anti-Muslim backlash.” What’s interesting is that, less than ten days prior to the press conference, Royer had been in contact with Lashkar-e-Taiba, a terrorist organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Royer had been plotting with a group from the U.S. to help Lashkar-e-Taiba murder Americans and Indians overseas. And just two days prior to the CAIR press conference, Royer possessed in his automobile an AK-47-style rifle and 219 rounds of ammunition.

CAIR is the defendant in a 9/11 lawsuit, put forward by the family of the former chief of the FBI’s counter-terrorism section, John P. O’Neill, who was killed during the attacks on the World Trade Center. CAIR is being sued for the murders of 3000 innocent Americans.

I remember when I was on a radio show debating CAIR-Florida’s Executive Director, Altaf Ali. It was exactly one month after 9/11, October 11, 2001. I asked Mr. Ali if he believed those that died during the attacks were innocent. He would not answer the question. I asked again and again and again. He still refused to answer. It was then that I realized why CAIR was here in America. If I may borrow a quote from a former CAIR official, it was not to become equal in America but to become dominant, where the Quran replaces the Constitution as the highest authority.

Tonight, within this building behind us, the Broward County Convention Center, CAIR is holding its annual event. It is an important event for CAIR, as slated to speak is CAIR’s National Chairman Parvez Ahmed, a man who calls America’s only true friend in the Middle-East, Israel, “a liability in the war on terror.”

Also speaking will be Sirah Wahhaj, a Brooklyn imam whose name is found on the U.S. Attorney’s list of “unindicted co-conspirators” to the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, which left six Americans dead and so many others injured – of course, a pre-curser to what would happen eight years later, when our beloved Twin Towers would stand no more. Also found on that list are Osama bin Laden and his Mentor Abdullah Azzam.

Wahhaj, during the bombing trial, would serve as a defense witness for the spiritual leader of the ’93 attack, the Blind Sheikh, Omar Abdel-Rahman. As stated by the Wall Street Journal, in an article written in October of 2003, Wahhaj testified that it had been an honor to host Abdel-Rahman at his mosque and described him as a “respected scholar.” Imam Wahhaj, WHAT KIND OF RESPECTED SCHOLAR WOULD HELP IN THE MURDERS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE?

But after reading a quote from Wahhaj, we can understand how his name could appear on the U.S. Attorney’s list, and we could understand how he could call a degenerate like Abdel-Rahman a “respected scholar.” Wahhaj stated, “In time, this so-called democracy will crumble, and there will be nothing. And the only thing that will remain will be Islam.”

Oh, by the way, Wahhaj was a former National Board Member of CAIR.

One more thing, and then I will conclude. Recently, CAIR and other organizations it affiliates with, called for Muslims to fast in solidarity with Sami Al-Arian, who has gone on a hunger strike. As well, CAIR has called for his release. Sami Al-Arian was a founder of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the group’s North American leader. He was responsible, at least in part, for the murders of over 100 innocent people, including two Americans. We say this to the government – KEEP SAMI AL-ARIAN LOCKED UP FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. HE IS A THREAT TO OUR COUNTRY AND TO OUR DEMOCRATIC ALLIES OVERSEAS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LET THIS MAN GO.

My friends, CAIR and organizations like it, are not here to help build up America. They are here to tear it down. And we are here to tell our government not to let them. Bush Administration, Senate, House of Representatives, FBI, we plead with you, shut CAIR down now! Place CAIR alongside Hamas on the U.S. State Department list of terrorist organizations, and shut CAIR down now.

Thank you.