Predictably, the Council on American Islamic Relations wants the President to denounce Congressman Peter King. From HiPakistan, with thanks to Nicolei:
An Islamic civil rights and advocacy group on Thursday called on President Bush and other political and religious leaders to repudiate remarks by a New York’s Republican congressman Rep. Peter T. King, who claimed that the vast majority of American Muslim community leaders are “an enemy living amongst us” and that “no (American) Muslims” cooperate in the war on terror.
This is overstated. On the other hand, in light of the fact that it was a Muslim — Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani — who first asserted (before a State Department Open Forum) that 80% of American mosques are controlled by extremists, it is by no means clear that King is simply indulging in uninformed ranting. The extent of support for Islamic terrorism among American Muslims has never been investigated, and it should be.
Mr King, who serves on the Select Committee on Homeland Security and the International Relations Committee, made the assertion on Sean Hannity’s nationally-syndicated Radio talk show while promoting a book he had written recently.
“It is unconscionable that an elected official would defame America’s Islamic leaders and ordinary Muslims, including those in his own district, just to sell a few more books for personal gain,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.
“President Bush and other political and religious leaders should repudiate these baseless smears and reject the growing exploitation of legitimate fears of terrorism to marginalize an entire community.”
While promoting his new novel “Veil of Tears,” King complained that “no (American) Muslims are cooperating” with law enforcement officials to combat terrorism.
He added: “I would say, you could say that 80-85 percent of mosques in this country are controlled by Islamic fundamentalists. Those who are in control. The average Muslim, no, they are loyal, but they don’t work, they don’t come forward, they don’t tell the police.”
Mr King’s novel, which he described as “half truth and half fiction,” deals with future terrorist attacks by “Muslim extremists” in Nassau County, New York. During his segment on Hannity’s program, King was particularly critical of an unnamed mosque in Westbury, New York which he accused of failing to adequately condemn terrorism.
When questioned by Hannity whether he was really claiming that 85 percent of mosques in America are “ruled by the extremists,” King said: “Yes. And I can get you the documentation on that from experts in the field.
Talk to a Steve Emerson, talk to a (Daniel) Pipes, talk to any of those. They will tell you. It’s a real issue’, I’ll stand by that number of 85 percent. This is an enemy living amongst us.”
Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes are regarded by many Muslims as America’s leading Islamophobes. Pipes has claimed that up to 15 percent of all Muslims are “potential killers” and that the enfranchisement of American Muslims presents “true dangers” to the United States. Both are strong backers of Israelis policies against the Palestinians.
Emerson and Pipes are only regarded as “Islamophobes” by those who use that ridiculous label to try to smear honest men who are courageous enough to speak out against radical Islam in the United States.
Mr King also said that while most American Muslims are loyal to this country: “They won’t turn in their own. They won’t tell what’s going on in the mosques. They won’t come forward and cooperate with the police.”
Again, when credible sources allege that a Muslim FBI agent refused to tape his interrogations of terror suspects, saying, “A Muslim doesn’t record another Muslim,” there are reasonable questions that need to be answered. But no answers are forthcoming from CAIR.
CAIR’s director Awad said that since being among the first to condemn the 9-11 terror attacks, American Muslim leaders have frequently worked with law enforcement officials on the national, state and local levels. He also invited King to meet with local and national Islamic leaders to learn more about Muslims in America and their contributions to society.