Shocking revelations about terrorist-sympathetic organizations

April 16, 2002

ATLANTA: Fast on the heels of inflammatory public statements by U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), alleging the Bush administration's "close ties" to energy and defense companies may be guiding U.S. policy in the war on terrorism, the Southeastern Legal Foundation today released a summary report of McKinney's 1999-2000 campaign contributions, revealing that 21 percent of her financial contributions of $101 or more came from Arab or Middle Eastern-connected individuals and organizations, including the American-Muslim Council and the Council on American/Islamic Relations, both of which maintain ties or have expressed support for terrorist organizations.

o Of 397 contributors who gave more than $101 to McKinney's 1999-2000 election campaign, eighty-three (83) were identifiably Arab or Middle Eastern-connected -- 21 percent of these contributors to her campaign. (Source: Federal Elections Commission disclosure reports, Georgia Secretary of State disclosure reports)

o Among the organizations identified in her disclosures, the American-Muslim Council (AMC) and the Council on American/Islamic Relations (CAIR) were included.

-- AMC "were busy - on various undeniable, on-the-record occasions - expressing sympathy for the 1993 World Trade Center bombers and support for terrorist outfits like Hamas and Hezbollah." (The Weekly Standard, Nov. 26, 2001)

-- Abdurahman Alamoudi, founder and former executive director with the AMC, attended an anti-Israel protest outside the White House on Oct. 28, 2000. "Alamoudi revved up the crowd, saying: "I have been labeled by the media in New York as being a supporter of Hamas. Anybody supporters of Hamas here?" The crowd cheered. "Hear that, Bill Clinton? We are all supporters of Hamas . . . I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.""(Both groups are on the State Department's official list of terrorist organizations) (The Phoenix, Monday, April 1, 2002, quoting from Salon writer Jake Tapper, Sept. 26, 2001).

-- "The record of the Council on American/Islamic Relations (CAIR) . . . is no more encouraging. When interviewed by Salon's Jake Tapper on Sept. 26, CAIR Communication Director Ibrahim Hooper refused to condemn Osama bin Laden. CAIR founder Nahid Awad, who appeared with Bush at the Washington Islamic Center, has argued that "[t]here is ample evidence indicating that both the Mossad and the Egyptian Intelligence played a role in the [1993 World Trade Center] explosion." And Siraj Wahaj, who has served as a CAIR board member, has been described by federal prosecutor Mary Jo White as a possible conspirator in the '93 bombing." (New Republic, Nov. 12, 2001)

-- CAIR joined with other Islamic groups on Dec. 4, 2001 to petition President Bush to remove the Holy Land Fund (HLF) from the list of terrorist-supporting organizations whose assets were frozen by Executive Order following Sept. 11, describing the group as "charitable."

o Among those with Arab or Middle Eastern-sounding names on McKinney's disclosures, several were listed with no identifiable occupation or, in one instance, a so-called "import company" was listed as employer.

"Congresswoman McKinney has alleged serious charges amounting to high treason against President George W. Bush and members of his administration based on 'relationships' with energy and defense companies," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "If we are to give any credence to her baseless claims, the American people deserve to know that McKinney's financial 'relationships' - her campaign contributors - are heavily represented by Arab and Middle Eastern-connected individuals, as well as organizations which have expressed sympathy for terrorist organizations. If McKinney's standard of review is 'relationships,'then her 'relationships' - and the influence those relationships have on her actions - must also be investigated."

In a recent op-ed by Ms. McKinney ("Bush must answer Sept. 11 questions," Atlanta Journal & Constitution, April 15, 2002, p. A10), she establishes a standard for review for investigation into Bush administration policy: "And what role does the close relationship between the Bush administration and the oil and defense industries play, if any, in the policies being pursued by this administration? . . . On the other hand, what is undeniable is that corporations close to the administration have directly benefited from the increased defense spending arising from the aftermath of Sept. 11 . . . Major financial conflicts of interest involving the president, the attorney general, the vice president and others in the administration have been and continue to be exposed . . .."

"If Ms. McKinney is serious about her strict standards of review, then Congress and the FEC have no alternative but to investigate her 'ties' to the Arab and Middle Eastern world and the influence brought to bear on her actions," said Kent.

LATE-BREAKING UPDATE, April 16, 2002 PM

MCKINNEY ACCEPTS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTER

ATLANTA: As a follow-up to today's earlier statement from Southeastern Legal Foundation regarding U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney's (D-GA) list of contributors from the 1999-2000 campaign cycle, SLF researchers this afternoon discovered the following information:

On April 17, 2000, McKinney received a $1,000 contribution from Abdurahman Alamoudi*, the founder and former executive director of the American-Muslim Council (AMC) -- a separate contribution from the $1,000 contributed by the AMC that day. No occupation is listed for Mr. Alamoudi.

(See above -- Mr. Alamoudi has publicly stated his support for both Hamas and Hezbollah; both groups are on the State Department's official list of terrorist organizations)

"Members of Congress, as well as the Federal Elections Commission, should investigate the fundraising sources and activities of Ms. McKinney, who has been so critical of President Bush yet maintains a troubling and questionable list of financial supporters," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "This is an outrage, and Ms. McKinney should be thoroughly questioned about as to her motivations and actions in recent months, including an open letter apologizing to a Saudi prince due to the fact that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani returned a $10 million relief effort contribution because the prince publicly blamed U.S. foreign policy for inspiring the attacks."

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