In June 1994, IAP President Omar Ahmad and Rafiq Jabir founded the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and Awad was hired as the Executive Director. In a March 1994 speech at Barry University, future CAIR Executive Director Awad said in response to an audience question about the various humanitarian efforts in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, "I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO... there are some [Hamas] radicals, we are not interested in those people."[3][4] At the time Awad expressed support for Hamas, the group had not conducted suicide bombings and was not designated a terrorist organization by the US.[5][6] Awad has said he no longer supports the group and has condemned suicide bombings.[7]
A few days after the September 11 attacks in 2001, Awad was one of a select group American Muslim leaders invited by the White House to join President Bush in a press conference condemning the attacks and acts of anti-Muslim intolerance that followed.[8]
Controversiesedit
Fundraising Request to Muammar Gaddafiedit
In April 2011, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. cited a 2009 letter sent from Awad, to Muammar Gaddafi asking Gaddafi for funding for a project called the Muslim Peace Foundation at a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations sub-committee hearing with Robert Mueller.[9] The letter also said, in part, "I am pleased to send to Your Excellency in my name most solemn assurances of thanks and appreciation for the efforts you exert in the service of Islam, Muslims and all mankind through your initiative to teach Islam, spread the culture of Islam, and solve disputes, for which you are known internationally."[10]
Awards & honorsedit
Nihad Awad (second from right) stands to President Bush's left, when Bush said "Like the good folks standing with me, the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday's attacks [on Sept. 11, 2001]."[11]
^Statement by Nihad Awad at a panel discussion, "The Road to Peace: the Challenge of the Middle East," Barry University, March 22, 1994. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2007-03-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Newton, Creede (February 10, 2017). "Republican calls CAIR a Hamas-linked 'terrorist group'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
^Glenn Greenwald, Murtaza Hussain (July 8, 2014). "MEET THE MUSLIM-AMERICAN LEADERS THE FBI AND NSA HAVE BEEN SPYING ON". The Intercept. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
^Frommer, Frederic J. (September 22, 2006). "Muslims Supporting Congressional Hopeful". The Associated Press. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
^""Islam is Peace" Says President". Georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
^. Fox News. July 4, 2011. Archived from the original on April 10, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
^Evansky, Ben (6 April 2011). "Lawmaker Criticizes Muslim Group Director's 2009 Fundraising Letter to Qaddafi - Fox News". Fox News.
^""Islam is Peace" Says President". Office of the Press Secretary. September 17, 2001. Retrieved on Jan. 27, 2007
nihad, awad, arabic, نهاد, عوض, founder, executive, director, council, american, islamic, relations, cair, bornal, wehdat, jordannationalitypalestinianamericaneducationuniversity, minnesota, websiteofficial, website, contents, early, life, career, controversie. Nihad Awad Arabic نهاد عوض is the co founder and Executive Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations CAIR Nihad AwadBornAl Wehdat JordanNationalityPalestinianAmericanEducationUniversity of Minnesota BS WebsiteOfficial website Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Controversies 3 1 Fundraising Request to Muammar Gaddafi 4 Awards amp honors 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editNihad Awad was born in Amman New Camp a Palestinian refugee camp in Amman Jordan He studied at Second Amman Preparatory School for Boys located at the camp and belongs to UNRWA and at Salaheddine High School in Achrafieh in Jordan He moved to Italy and later to the United States to pursue his university studies citation needed Career editAfter studying civil engineering at the University of Minnesota in the 1990s 1 2 he worked at the University of Minnesota Medical Center After the Gulf War he was Public Relations Director for the Islamic Association for Palestine IAP In June 1994 IAP President Omar Ahmad and Rafiq Jabir founded the Council on American Islamic Relations CAIR and Awad was hired as the Executive Director In a March 1994 speech at Barry University future CAIR Executive Director Awad said in response to an audience question about the various humanitarian efforts in the Palestinian Occupied Territories I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO there are some Hamas radicals we are not interested in those people 3 4 At the time Awad expressed support for Hamas the group had not conducted suicide bombings and was not designated a terrorist organization by the US 5 6 Awad has said he no longer supports the group and has condemned suicide bombings 7 A few days after the September 11 attacks in 2001 Awad was one of a select group American Muslim leaders invited by the White House to join President Bush in a press conference condemning the attacks and acts of anti Muslim intolerance that followed 8 Controversies editFundraising Request to Muammar Gaddafi edit In April 2011 Rep Frank Wolf R Va cited a 2009 letter sent from Awad to Muammar Gaddafi asking Gaddafi for funding for a project called the Muslim Peace Foundation at a U S House of Representatives Appropriations sub committee hearing with Robert Mueller 9 The letter also said in part I am pleased to send to Your Excellency in my name most solemn assurances of thanks and appreciation for the efforts you exert in the service of Islam Muslims and all mankind through your initiative to teach Islam spread the culture of Islam and solve disputes for which you are known internationally 10 Awards amp honors edit nbsp Nihad Awad second from right stands to President Bush s left when Bush said Like the good folks standing with me the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday s attacks on Sept 11 2001 11 The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre s 500 Most Influential Muslims 2009 12 Among 100 of the World s Most Influential Arabs for 2010 by Arabian Business magazine 13 Recipient of the Phillip Brooks House Association s Robert Coles Call of Service amp Lecture Award at Harvard College in 2017 14 Listed Among 19 of the Most Important Civil Rights Leaders of Today by USA Today in 2020 15 References edit 1 Archived March 11 2007 at the Wayback Machine 2 Archived February 21 2006 at the Wayback Machine Statement by Nihad Awad at a panel discussion The Road to Peace the Challenge of the Middle East Barry University March 22 1994 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2012 05 03 Retrieved 2007 03 02 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Kushner Harvey W 1998 The future of terrorism violence in the new millennium ISBN 9780761908692 Retrieved November 27 2009 Newton Creede February 10 2017 Republican calls CAIR a Hamas linked terrorist group Al Jazeera Retrieved 16 January 2020 Glenn Greenwald Murtaza Hussain July 8 2014 MEET THE MUSLIM AMERICAN LEADERS THE FBI AND NSA HAVE BEEN SPYING ON The Intercept Retrieved 3 March 2021 Frommer Frederic J September 22 2006 Muslims Supporting Congressional Hopeful The Associated Press Retrieved 16 January 2020 Islam is Peace Says President Georgewbush whitehouse archives gov Retrieved 2010 04 18 CAIR Caught in Gaddafi Web Fox News July 4 2011 Archived from the original on April 10 2011 Retrieved September 6 2017 Evansky Ben 6 April 2011 Lawmaker Criticizes Muslim Group Director s 2009 Fundraising Letter to Qaddafi Fox News Fox News Islam is Peace Says President Office of the Press Secretary September 17 2001 Retrieved on Jan 27 2007 Blogger User Profile Nihad Awad http www arabianbusiness com power100 2010 list view profile amp itemid 150752 permanent dead link Award recognizes Nihad Awad of the Council on American Islamic Relations 19 October 2017 From Esmeralda Simmons to Laverne Cox here are 19 of the most influential civil rights leaders of today USA Today External links editOfficial website Appearances on C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nihad Awad amp oldid 1182034377, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
