Right after Dawud Walid of CAIR-Michigan was defending the jihadist imam who was killed in a shootout with the FBI. Yet another Which-Side-Is-Obama-On Alert: "Despite ban, Holder to speak to CAIR-linked group," from Politico, November 9 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Attorney General Eric Holder has agreed to give a keynote speech next week to a Michigan group which includes the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations even though the FBI has formally severed contacts with the controversial Muslim civil rights organization.On Nov. 19, Holder is scheduled to speak in Detroit to the first annual awards banquet of Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust, a coalition of several dozen law enforcement and community groups. An online registration form for the event includes the Council on American Islamic Relations-Michigan on a list of "official & participating organizations."
A spokeswoman for ALPACT confirmed that CAIR is a member of the coalition.
"CAIR has been involved for a while," said Chandra McMillion, community development facilitator for ALPACT. "CAIR is listed as an official member."
The executive director of CAIR's Michigan chapter, Dawud Walid, also confirmed its involvement with ALPACT. "It's really nothing controversial. We've been part of this organization for years," he said. "We meet every month and included with us is the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI." [...]
The FBI claims it cut "formal contacts" with CAIR after federal prosecutors in the 2007 criminal trial of officers of a Texas-based Islamic charity, the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, introduced documents the government said showed links between CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood, which gave rise to Hamas.
"Until we can resolve whether there continues to be a connection between CAIR or its executives and HAMAS, the FBI does not view CAIR as an appropriate liaison partner," FBI Congressional liaison Richard Powers wrote in an April letter to Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). [...]
An FBI spokeswoman confirmed that the FBI's Special Agent-in-Charge in Detroit, Andy Arena, will serve as co-chair for the Nov. 19 dinner.
"We are co-chairing the event. We are not sponsoring the event," spokeswoman Jennifer Burnside said. She said the FBI "didn't have any role" in selling tickets for the event or in issuing invitations....
What a relief! If Burnside felt the need to distance the FBI from the event in these ways, why is Arena acting as the co-chair?
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