In an interview from 2004. “CAIR’s Nihad ‘Awad Refuses to Condemn Hamas,” from Translating Jihad, January 24:
[…] Talal al-Haj: You worked, Nihad, as Director of Public
Relations in the Islamic Association for Palestine in 1993, and drew the critcism of Palestinian president Yasir Arafat in 1994. There are those who say now that you are a supporter of the Hamas organization in Palestine. What is your position on Hamas?Nihad ‘Awad: First, concerning the issue of Palestine, we have personal
opinions which we stated at the time. But now we work for the CAIR foundation; the CAIR foundation represents the Muslim masses in America–this is an Islamic endowment. The truth [is that] the rumor which was spread about CAIR is an Israeli viewpoint, which paints the Muslim community with a broad brush. This is the price of not condemning liberation movements, whether in Palestine or Lebanon. I truly do not condemn these organizations. I will condemn them only when I see that media outlets are requiring the heads of Jewish foundations in America to condemn Israel for its treatment of innocent people; for killing people whether in Lebanon, Qana, or Palestine; for bulldozing their homes; and for their flagrant human rights violations. Not one question [like these] has been directed to any leader of a Jewish foundation in America, so why are the questions being directed at Islamic and Arab foundations in America? […]Talal al-Haj: Do you, a segment of American society, accept the laws accepted by the society? American law states that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Is my question clear?
Nihad ‘Awad: […] We do not and will not condemn any liberation movement inside Palestine or Lebanon. If they want us to condemn a liberation movement inside Palestine or Lebanon, then they should condemn Israel ten times over on all levels at all times. We will not condemn any foundation. We are not under the hammer of any person, and we are in a free country. Why [should] we give up our principles?.[…]