Sen. Boxer Pulls Award to Muslim Leader

January 4, 2007

Source: The Detroit News

Wire Service: AP

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BOXER_MUSLIM_GROUP?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sen. Barbara Boxer rescinded a certificate honoring a member of a Muslim advocacy group after his national organization was accused on conservative Web sites of supporting terrorism.

"We made a bad mistake not researching the organization," the California Democrat said. "My organization created this problem. I caused people grief, and I feel terrible. Yet I need to set the record straight, and I'm setting the record straight."

A leader of the group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the organization did not support terrorism and was being misrepresented because of the actions of a couple of former officials.

"Anyone who doubts where we stand on the issue of terrorism does not understand Islam, the Muslim community or CAIR," said Nihad Awad, the group's national executive director.