Florida declares US Muslim civil rights group a foreign terrorist organization

"Florida is declaring the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) a US civil rights and liberties group a foreign terrorist organization, the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, announced on Monday. The move closely follows a similar order issued in November by Texas's governor, Greg Abbott, DeSantis's fellow Republican, even though only the federal government can designate terrorist organizations. Cair and its supporters are among those who have dismissed the orders from DeSantis and Abbott as Islamophobia."

"The groups vowed to sue Florida as it has Texas, where Abbott has directed law enforcement officials to investigate whether a group in Dallas is operating courts under sharia law. Governor DeSantis knows full well that Cair-Florida is an American civil rights organization that has spent decades advancing free speech, religious freedom and justice for all, including for the people of Palestine, the groups said in a statement."

"DeSantis said the executive order naming Cair, one of the nation's largest Muslim advocacy groups, was effective immediately. His order also targets the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist group founded in 1928. Neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor Cair are on the US government's list of designated FTO groups. Nonetheless, Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities by these organizations, including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support, DeSantis said in a statement on X."

Florida declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a US civil rights and liberties organization, a foreign terrorist organization and directed state agencies to deny privileges and resources and prevent unlawful activities. The order also named the Muslim Brotherhood and asserted founders' connections to it, linking those ties to Hamas and the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel. CAIR denies any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood or Hamas and plans legal challenges. The move follows a similar November order by Texas governor Greg Abbott, even though only the federal government can designate foreign terrorist organizations. Abbott has ordered investigations into alleged sharia courts in Dallas.

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