REFERENCE TITLE: American-Islamic Council; suspending contact

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-third Legislature First Regular Session 2017

SCM 1007

Introduced by Senators Borrelli: Burges, Fann, Farnsworth D, Montenegro, Smith; Representatives Allen J, Barton, Bowers, Finchem, Grantham, Lawrence, Shope

 

A CONCURRENT MEMORIAL

 

urging law enforcement and governmental agencies in this state to avoid and suspend all contacts and outreach activities with the Council on American‑Islamic Relations.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

To the Director of the Department of Public Safety:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has suspended all formal contacts and formal outreach activities with the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) due to evidence indicating a relationship between CAIR and Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization; and

Whereas, in United States v. Holy Land Foundation, the largest successful terrorism financing prosecution in United States history, CAIR was identified as a Muslim Brotherhood front group and was named an unindicted coconspirator in the trial; and

Whereas, CAIR opened its first office in Washington D.C. with the help of a grant from the Holy Land Foundation, an organization that was shut down by the United States Treasury Department for funding jihadist terrorist organizations; and

Whereas, in 2014, the United Arab Emirates, a United States ally, officially designated CAIR as a terrorist organization; and

Whereas, in March 2011, Muthanna al-Hanooti, one of CAIR's directors, was sentenced to a year in federal prison for violating United States sanctions against Iraq; and

Whereas, in 2006, Sami Al-Arian, the cofounder of CAIR's parent organization, the Islamic Association for Palestine, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for terrorism charges for financing the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a designated terrorist organization according to the United States State Department; and

Whereas, in 2004, CAIR-Northern Virginia director Abdurahman Alamoudi pleaded guilty to terrorism-related financial and conspiracy charges, which resulted in a 23-year federal prison sentence; and

Whereas, in 2009, Ghassan Elashi, who served as a founding board member for CAIR's regional chapter in Texas, was sentenced to 65 years in prison after being convicted of 10 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, 11 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, funds, goods and services to a specially designated terrorist, 10 counts of conspiracy to commit, and the commission of, money laundering, one count of conspiracy to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service and two counts of filing a false tax return; and

Whereas, Randall Todd (Ismail) Royer, who served as a communications specialist and civil rights coordinator for CAIR, trained with and set up an internet-based newsletter for Lashkar-e-Taiba, an al Qaeda-tied Kashmir organization that is listed on the United States State Department's international terrorist list, was also indicted on charges of conspiring to help al Qaeda and the Taliban battle American troops in Afghanistan and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on April 9, 2004; and

Whereas, in September 2003, CAIR's former Community Affairs Director, Bassem Khafagi, pleaded guilty to three federal counts of bank and visa fraud and agreed to be deported to Egypt after he had funneled money to activities supporting terrorism and had published material advocating suicide attacks against the United States; and

Whereas, Ann Arbor, Michigan CAIR fund‑raiser Rabih Haddad was arrested on terrorism-related charges and was deported from the United States due to his work as Executive Director of the Global Relief Foundation, which in October 2002 was designated by the United States Treasury Department for financing al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.

Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:

1.  That law enforcement and governmental agencies in this state avoid and suspend all contacts and outreach activities with the Council on American‑Islamic Relations.

2.  That the Secretary of State transmit a copy of this Memorial to the Director of the Department of Public Safety.