CAIR Asks FBI to Probe Tweet by Anti-Muslim Group Showing Bombing of 'CAIR HQ'

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is calling on the FBI to investigate an image tweeted by an anti-Muslim group headed by a notorious conspiracy theorist that purports to show the bombing of "CAIR HQ" in Washington, D.C.

[BREAKING: Video Shows Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist John Guandolo's Alleged Assault on Minnesota Sheriff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBlxiFVeXtI ]

CAIR said the image was tweeted last week on the account of Understanding the Threat, an Islamophobic hate group headed by anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist John Guandolo. Guandolo, who has previously tweeted that "CAIR needs to be obliterated," re-tweeted the bombing image on his personal account.

In a letter sent to the FBI's Criminal Division and Washington Field Office, CAIR National Litigation Director Lena Masri wrote in part:

"Mr. Guandolo's actions constitute 'true threats' and are a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) which makes it a crime to transmit in interstate commerce 'any communication containing any threat to injure the property or. . .the person of another.'"

"We urge the FBI to investigate this apparent call for a terror attack on an American civil rights organization and to take appropriate action based on the results of that investigation," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We have been challenging Mr. Guandolo's conspiracy theories for a number of years, and have noted that he is becoming increasingly extreme and unhinged in his rhetoric."

Awad said CAIR and its offices and staff nationwide are frequently targeted online with threatening and harassing messages.

One recent tweet stated that "someone needs to blow up" CAIR for its stance against Confederate statues.

SEE: CAIR Threatened for Stance on Removal of Confederate Statue in DC
https://twitter.com/CAIRNational/status/910931409463779329

He added that in 2015, CAIR's Washington, D.C., headquarters had to be evacuated after a letter containing an unknown foreign substance was received in the mail.

SEE: CAIR Capitol Hill HQ Evacuated After Receiving Foreign Substance in Hate Letter
http://cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13300-cair-capitol-hill-hq-evacuated-after-receiving-foreign-substance-in-hate-letter.html

Awad noted that Minnesota's Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek recently accused Guandolo of assaulting him during a national law enforcement conference earlier this year in Reno, Nev.

SEE: Video Shows Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist John Guandolo's Alleged Assault on Minnesota Sheriff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBlxiFVeXtI 
Exclusive - Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist Guandolo Assaults Minn. Sheriff at NSA Conference, Per Court Documents
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2017/08/11/john-guandolo-assault-richard-stanek-national-sheriffs-association/ 
John Guandolo Ordered to Stay Away from Sheriff Stanek (Star Tribune)
http://www.startribune.com/restraining-order-filed-against-former-fbi-agent-accused-of-assaulting-sheriff-stanek/439932193/
Anti-Muslim Speaker Now Accused of Assaulting a Sheriff
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/maricopa-county-attorney-john-guandolo-islamophobic-training-9592739

Among his many bizarre and Islamophobic claims, Guandolo has falsely claimed that:

• U.S. mosques are planning armed attacks on law enforcement authorities and churches,
• the Black Lives Matter movement is funded by "enemies of the United States,"
• when a Delaware Imam (Islamic religious leader) touched his nose during the pledge of allegiance before a legislative session it was part of "civilizational jihad,"
• former CIA Director John Brennan was a secret Muslim,
•  Muslims are "obligated" to lie,
• Muslim hotel managers, cabbies and 7-11 workers seek to take over America,
• it is "unprofessional" for officials to seek information about Islam from Islamic religious leaders (imams).

CAIR recently said Guandolo is putting local Muslim communities at risk by making the false claim that, "Mosques/Islamic Centers are organizing for armed confrontation with law enforcement, shoring up physical defenses where they see likely confrontation and increasing their pre-attack surveillances of churches and other targets."

John Guandolo: Indict Journalists - Muslim Hotel Managers, Cabbies, 7-11 Workers Seek U.S. Takeover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-NMLtiwfZM 
Audio: Islamophobe John Guandolo Claims Mosques, MSA Chapters Seek 'Overthrow' of U.S. Government
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=645fIfXjdp8 
Video: John Guandolo Claims Muslims are 'Obligated' to Lie, Talking to Imams is 'Unprofessional'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juQj8FDINz0   
Audio/Video: Islamophobes John Guandolo, Chris Gaubatz Smear Mosques, Say BLM is Funded by 'Enemies' of U.S.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR4VgC0Yf_Y 
CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: John Guandolo
http://islamophobia.org/islamophobic-individuals/john-guandolo/75-john-guandolo.html 
Video: Islamophobe John Guandolo Claims CIA Director John Brennan is a Secret Muslim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aieUdwZoYMg 
Guandolo: Delaware Imam Touching His Nose is Part of Civilizational Jihad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq2IL2oJsQE

Backgrounder on Islamophobe John Guandolo:

CAIR's profile of Guandolo documents his belief that America "is at war with Islam" and that major Muslim organizations and mosques are "preparing for combat." Guandolo also claims there is inaction on the part of the U.S. government to counter this threat because people inside the Trump White House "have been co-opted by the bad guys." 

Earlier this year, Guandolo excused a terror attack on a London mosque because "people who are still sane" are "having to make very difficult decisions."

CAIR Islamophobia Monitor: Understanding the Threat
http://www.islamophobia.org/islamophobic-organizations/32-understanding-the-threat.html

Last year, a Texas college canceled a similar event. The college's decision came following a request by CAIR's Dallas-Fort Worth chapter.

SEE: Texas College Cancels Controversial Law Enforcement Training Event Led by 'Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/texas-college-cancels-controversial-law-enforcement-training-event-led-by-anti-muslim-conspiracy-a7061731.html 
Ex-FBI Agent John Guandolo to Host Anti-Muslim Training at Texas College
http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2016/05/31/fbi-agent-guandolo-islamophobia-training-texas-college/  
CAIR-Dallas Asks College to Cancel Law Enforcement 'Training' by Islamophobe John Guandolo
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/13562-cair-dallas-asks-college-to-cancel-law-enforcement-training-by-islamophobe-john-guandolo.html

In 2015, CAIR welcomed the withdrawal of an FBI representative from an event in Texas that was initially sponsored by the anti-Muslim hate group ACT! for America and featured Guandolo.

SEE: FBI Withdraws from Texas Event Initially Sponsored by Hate Group and Featuring Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12832-fbi-withdraws-from-texas-event-sponsored-by-hate-group.html

Virginia's Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy rescinded its approval of in-service training credits for state law enforcement scheduled to attend a training Guandolo was conducting in Culpeper, Va., after being made aware of his anti-Islam rhetoric.

SEE: Virginia Agency Pulls Accreditation for Anti-Muslim Training
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12387-virginia-agency-pulls-accreditation-for-anti-muslim-training.html       

A sheriff in Kansas decided not to partner with a citizens group sponsoring a Guandolo training after being informed of his conspiracy theories. When a journalist at Kansas' Wichita Eagle covered the controversy, Guandolo accused the reporter of material support of terrorism.

SEE: Kansas Sheriff Won't Partner on Training by John Guandolo
http://www.cair.com/press-center/cair-in-the-news/12503-kansas-sheriff-wont-partner-on-training-by-john-guandolo.html       

A number of Arizona police departments decided not to send officers to one of Guandolo's trainings.

CAIR: Arizona Police Departments Drop Out of Islamophobic Training
http://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/12655-arizona-police-departments-drop-out-of-islamophobic-training.html      

Guandolo left the FBI shortly after reports surfaced that he had allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a key witness in a corruption trial targeting a member of Congress. In addition he is documented as having falsified his credentials and work experience.

Major General Tony Cucolo, Commandant of the US Army War College, informed CAIR in an email: "Mr. Guandolo's claim (in print) that he teaches at the Army War College and any other references (e.g., online) identifying him as an adjunct instructor here are simply untrue."

The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: https://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La misión de CAIR es mejorar la comprensión del Islam, fomentar el diálogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprensión mutua.

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CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected] 

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

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