Nothing Immoral to Islamic Jihad

Florida CAIR leader Ahmed Bedier on WTVT-Tampa: Nothing Immoral to Islamic Jihad

(Americans Against Hate) CAIR-FL SPOKESMAN SAYS "NOTHING IMMORAL" ABOUT ISLAMIC JIHAD

BEDIER PRAISES SAMI AL-ARIAN’S ACQUITTAL

(Coral Springs, FL) Last Thursday, on a local Tampa Bay, Florida television program, Ahmed Bedier, the Communications Director of CAIR-Florida, stated that, prior to 1995, there was "nothing immoral" about the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization.

The show, WTVT’s ’Your Turn with Kathy Fountain,’ featured a discussion about the recent acquittal of PIJ leader Sami Al-Arian. Bedier, who has been acting as Al-Arian’s long-time unofficial spokesman, was asked a series of questions by the host of the show.

One of the questions dealt with the morality behind Al-Arian’s connection to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Fountain asked, "If he was associating with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, doesn’t that seem immoral, in your opinion?" Bedier responded, "To a certain degree. Now, before 1995 there was nothing immoral about it."

Bedier’s answer is startling, given the fact that, prior to 1995, Palestinian Islamic Jihad took credit for five terrorist attacks, which resulted in the murders of eight innocent people. This includes a suicide bombing in the town of Netzarim Junction, in November of 1994.

On December 7th, the day prior to the TV show, Bedier didn’t hide his praise for the acquittal of Al-Arian. He said that the verdicts were "a huge relief, and people are just jubilant."

About Bedier’s statements, Joe Kaufman, Chairman of Americans Against Hate, said, "It is disgraceful for Ahmed Bedier to make light of a cold-blooded terrorist organization, as he has about the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It is offensive to the memories of all those that died at the hands of this monstrous group! It is equally offensive for Bedier to describe the acquittal of terrorist leader Sami Al-Arian in terms of ’jubilation.’ Our organization calls on the news media to not seek quotes from this man, but to instead denounce his irresponsible statements."