‘Not Welcome In Our State’: Texas Governor Designates ‘Radical’ Muslim Groups As Foreign Terrorists

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations on Tuesday, citing each group’s ties to Islamic extremism and accusing them of seeking to “forcibly impose Sharia law.”

Abbott’s action bans the Muslim groups from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas and subjects anyone affiliated with them to heightened state penalties.

“The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world,’” Abbott said. “The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable. Today, I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.”

For years, the Muslim Brotherhood has advocated for extremism and been connected to Islamic terrorists. The Muslim Brotherhood, which started as a militant group in Egypt in 1928, has spread throughout the world and is tied to numerous jihadist groups, according to a 2018 Congressional report. The Muslim Brotherhood’s founder, Hassan al-Banna, was outspoken about fighting non-Muslims through jihad and wrote that “Jihad is an obligation from Allah and every Muslim and cannot be ignored nor evaded.” In recent years, the Brotherhood condemned the United States for killing terrorism mastermind Osama bin Laden, and one of its most influential leaders, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, called for terrorist attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a self-described civil rights organization, has been criticized over its ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. U.S. authorities have also posited that CAIR was established as a front for Hamas. In a 2008 case, which was the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S. history, the council and its co-founders were named as unindicted co-conspirators in a plot to funnel millions of dollars to Hamas. Multiple people who have worked for CAIR have also been sentenced for planning to aid terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

The council has denied the allegations tying it to Hamas and responded to Abbott’s move to designate it as a foreign terrorist organization.

“We have consistently condemned all forms of unjust violence, including hate crimes, ethnic cleansing, genocide and terrorism. In fact, we condemn terrorism so often that ISIS once put a target on our national executive director,” the council said. “Although we are flattered by Greg Abbott’s obsession with our civil rights organization, his publicity stunt masquerading as a proclamation has no basis in fact or law. By defaming a prominent American Muslim institution with debunked conspiracy theories and made-up quotes, Mr. Abbott has once again shown that his top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas.

Abbott’s move comes as Muslims plan to develop a massive compound in North Texas, which is being investigated by state and federal authorities. The compound aims to create a Muslim-centered community on 400 acres of land and is spearheaded by the East Plano Islamic Center, the largest mosque in Texas.

The Muslim development plans are not connected to the Muslim Brotherhood or the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The Justice Department launched an investigation into the plans after Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn raised concerns about religious discrimination surrounding the housing development.

“Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no place in the Lone Star State,” Cornyn said in May. “Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under the Trump administration, they will be.”