House panel to examine radicalization of U.S. Muslims, congressman blames al-Qaida

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House panel to examine radicalization of U.S. Muslims, congressman blames al-Qaida

2011-03-10 00:10:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON (BNO NEWS) -- The U.S. congressman set to hold hearings on the radicalization of American Muslims said on Wednesday that al-Qaida is trying to influence U.S. Muslims, CNN reported.

Rep. Peter King, R-New York, said on CNN's "American Morning" that the U.S. had seen the evidence of that al Qaida-inspired radicalization in "a number of attempted attacks which could have killed hundreds if not thousands of people," such as the failed Times Square attack and New York subway bombing plan.

"I want to determine the extent to which that radicalization is taking place, the extent to which Muslim leaders are cooperating (with authorities) in trying to stop that radicalization," he added.

King, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, will convene his hearing entitled "Radicalization in the American Muslim community" Thursday.

"I have no choice, I have to hold these hearings, these hearings are absolutely essential," King told CNN earlier.

"There are elements in that community that are being radicalized, and I believe that the leadership, the leaders of that community, do not face up to that reality," he said.

He said he was not condemning Islam as a religion or American Muslims as a group. He also wants American Muslims to choose their leaders better, arguing that groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations are not "doing an adequate job -- in some ways they are doing a very poor job as far as the radicalization of the community."

CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper dismissed King's criticism out of hand.

"In other words, he doesn't like that CAIR criticizes his past anti-Muslim statements and his Keystone Cops hearing," Hooper told CNN.

CAIR said it will hold a news conference Wednesday to challenge King to provide facts to back up his claims that 85% of mosques in his state and nationwide are run by "radicals."

The Muslim-American community accused him of bigotry and fear he is on a witch hunt. Hundreds of people in New York City protested the hearing this weekend.

On Tuesday, a national group, Muslim Advocate, launched a website aimed at tracking what it calls anti-Muslim rhetoric, particularly among elected officials.

"Our concern is that the King hearings are going to sow fear and mistrust of the Muslim community at a time when the nation needs to be coming together," said Farhana Khera, executive director of the group that launched WhatUnites.Us.

"It's essentially a congressional stamp of approval for anti-Muslim hate."

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