Muslim group rips Emerson

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Speaker warns of radical Islam — Muslim group rips terror expert's remarks
By Dan Meisler
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS


Terrorism expert Steven Emerson warned a luncheon audience in Genoa Township on Monday that militant Muslims are using "strategic deception" to enter the mainstream political debate in America and advance their terrorist agenda.

But his comments drew denials and denouncement from a local Muslim group.

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of CAIR, was not present at the speech but responded by blasting Emerson as having an anti-Islam agenda: "He has a crusader mentality. ... He's not an unbiased analyst."

"With all the scrutiny Muslim organizations have been under since 9/11, if there was even a shred of validity to the charges of Mr. Emerson, we would have been closed down a long time ago," Walid added.

He said Emerson's casting suspicion on mainstream Muslim groups "clearly increases Islamophobia."

Emerson was the latest speaker in Cleary University's Livingston Economic Club series that will include controversial conservative commentator and columnist Ann Coulter in October.

Walid criticized the university for not inviting anyone to debate Emerson's claims.
"We should have the opportunity also to present who the American Muslims are and what our organization truly is about," he said. "If it is interested in dialogue and academic discourse, it would bring in an opposing view. That's called being fair."(MORE)