On 18th November (local time), Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Transnational Criminal Organisation under state law. The proclamation lists CAIR alongside the Muslim Brotherhood, which Abbott identified as its “successor organisation”. Following the designation, both groups have now been restricted from acquiring land in Texas. It has opened the door to enhanced civil and criminal penalties for anyone aiding their activities.
What the proclamation says
The order outlined the history and ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and described it as a transnational Islamist movement founded on calls for armed jihad and the establishment of a global Caliphate empowered to enforce Sharia law. Abbott cited both early doctrinal statements by founder Hassan al-Banna and later declarations by Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie to establish continuity in its objectives. He also pointed to the international footprint of Brotherhood-linked groups, including Hamas, which originated as its Palestinian branch.
Then, the proclamation talked about CAIR and positioned it as part of a US-based network of the Muslim Brotherhood. Abbott provided references to federal investigations, legal findings of the Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing case, and academic research that linked CAIR to Hamas and its broader support structure.
It mentioned that in 2008, the FBI cut formal ties with CAIR and the Biden administration distanced itself from the group by removing references to CAIR from certain federal documents in 2023.
The most extensive section of the proclamation details individuals tied to CAIR who were later prosecuted or exposed for terrorism-related activities. Abbott used these cases to argue that CAIR’s organisational ecosystem is not merely ideological but operationally connected to extremist networks.
Individuals linked to CAIR cited in the proclamation
The proclamation listed a series of individuals who served in CAIR’s leadership, staff, or fundraising network. These persons were later convicted or implicated in terror-related offences. Abbott stated that there is evidence of a long-standing pattern of CAIR employing or elevating people with active links to terror outfits.
The proclamation listed one of the most prominent names in the CAIR circle, Ghassan Elashi. He is a founding board member of CAIR’s Texas chapter and Treasurer of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. He was convicted in 2009 for financial terrorism and sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison.
Another name included in the list is that of Abdurahman Alamoudi. He spoke at a CAIR-sponsored anti-Israel rally and publicly described himself as a supporter of Hamas and Hizballah. He was convicted of funding Al Qaeda.
The third name in the list was that of Randall Todd Royer, who is a former CAIR communications specialist and civil-rights coordinator. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2004 for conspiring to aid both Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
The next name in the list was that of Bassem Khafagi, who is a former community relations director at CAIR. He pleaded guilty in 2003 to federal bank and visa fraud after funnelling money to extremist causes and publishing material that advocated suicide attacks against the United States.
Furthermore, the list named Rabih Haddad, who was a CAIR fundraiser. He was arrested and later deported for his role in the Global Relief Foundation, which is an organisation shut down by the US Treasury Department in 2002 for financing Al Qaeda.
The proclamation then referred to Muthanna al-Hanooti, a Michigan-based CAIR director, who was convicted in 2011 for violating US sanctions by accepting two million barrels of Iraqi oil in exchange for assisting Saddam Hussein’s government.
Another significant name is Sami Al-Arian, a convicted terrorist and financier of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), whom CAIR honoured with its “Promoting Justice Award” in 2014. CAIR later featured him in a 2020 lecture where he urged support for the organisation.
Finally, the proclamation cited Nihad Awad, CAIR’s long-time Executive Director, who publicly praised Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, saying he “was happy to see” it.
In response, CAIR threatened to sue Greg Abbott and called him an “Israel First politician” who has spent “months stoking anti-Muslim hysteria to smear American Muslims” who are critical of the Israeli government.
CAIR and its anti-India propaganda
CAIR is an Islamist group that has spoken against India and Hindus on several occasions. It is noteworthy that CAIR has links with the terrorist organization Hamas. The organization has been vehemently pushing Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu propaganda in India. Previously, CAIR extended support for the extremely Hinduphobic ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva‘ conference.
In January 2022, CAIR launched Hinduphobic propaganda based on a report by alleged journalist Rana Ayyub. In a press release, CAIR demanded the movie theatres not to release Sooryavanshi, a Hindi movie. In the press release, CAIR alleged the movie spreads “disgusting and dangerous” anti-Muslim propaganda inspired by the fascist Hindutva movement.” The organization has also called for the release of 49-year-old Pakistani terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently serving 86 years in prison for attacking US Army and FBI personnel in Afghanistan.
In the same year, CAIR released a report titled “Still Suspect: The Impact of Structural Islamophobia”, in which it said that there has been a rise in discrimination against Muslims living in the United States.
The CAIR, in its report, claimed that it had received 6,720 complaints nationwide last year involving a range of issues, including immigration, travel discrimination, law enforcement, government overreach, hate and bias incidents, custody rights, school incidents, and free speech incidents.
The CAIR claimed that government discrimination and bias continue to have a disproportionate effect on American Muslims and further demonstrate that our communities continue to be viewed with suspicion. The report also listed the impacts of severe structural and interpersonal Islamophobia in the United States.
Ironically, CAIR, which always complains about alleged Islamophobia in the United States, has been aggressively promoting Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu propaganda in India. We are aware of how CAIR had extended support for the extremely Hinduphobic ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva‘ conference.
Not only this, but in December 2022, CAIR had reportedly taken offence at the display of the names of the LeT terrorists and scenes from the deadly 26/11 terror attack that was displayed on a mobile billboard truck in New Jersey. While calling the movement of the vehicle ‘deliberate and well co-ordinated’, CAIR criticised the broadcast of 26/11 footage as ‘messages of hate.’ This was despite the fact that the mobile billboard truck did not display anything contentious but the truth.
The organization has also called for the release of 49-year-old Pakistani terrorist Aafia Siddiqui, who is currently serving 86 years in prison for attacking US Army and FBI personnel in Afghanistan.
Interestingly, when Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, went to the US in June 2023, he was seen sitting in a discussion with Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of HfHR, a radical Hinduphobic organisation that falsely claims to represent Hindus in the US. Sunita is known for hosting events for the likes of CAIR and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).
Furthermore, Gandhi had also met anti-India US lawmaker Ilhan Omar during his 2024 visit. Omar is a rabid Islamist. She hails Islamic regimes. She beats the drum of false Muslim victimhood and brands any action against Muslim criminals in secular nations as ‘Islamophobia’. She avoids criticizing even the most heinous acts of terrorism but hurriedly cries ‘Islamophobia’ when it suits her Islamist cause.
She is infamous for trivialising the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York as “some people did something”. While addressing the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in 2019. She has stated that just because “some people did something” (9/11), Muslims have started to lose civil rights in the USA.
The Islamic organisation and its link with Islamic terror outfit Hamas
It is noteworthy that CAIR has links with the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist terror organisation Hamas. Hamas has a long history of violating human rights. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries including The European Union, the United States, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom etc.
