Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR, Designated Terrorist Groups By United Arab Emirates

The Muslim Brotherhood was designated a Terrorist Group by the United Arab Emirates Saturday, joining several other organizations that received the same designation from the UAE, including the U.S.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, or, CAIR.

According to an Associated Press report, the terrorist designation bestowed by the UAE puts added pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood by putting them in the same category of Islamic extremist groups as the Islamic State group, and even the Nusra Front, which is an al-Qaida affiliate in Syria.

Along with the Muslim Brotherhood, the United Arab Emirates tagged 83 other groups with the terrorist group label, such as Al-Islah, an Emirati group that many believe has connections with the Muslim Brotherhood, and whose members have been subject to prosecution in the Emirates federation.

The United Arab Emirates designating the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group seconds the same decision made by Saudi Arabia in March, who also cast the Brotherhood into the same lot as al-Qaida and other Islamic extremist organizations. Support for Saudi Arabia’s decision by the UAE was clear at the time, both countries believing the Islamist groups are committed to destroying their Western-backed governing systems.

Egypt also designated the Muslim Brotherhood, which was founded in the late 1920s, a terror organization last December.

Ever since the “Arab Spring,” and the Muslim Brotherhood’s elevation in political power, both the Saudis and United Arab Emirates have been emboldened against the Brotherhood. Surrounding Arab countries are also supportive of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who captured the presidency through a military overthrow of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

One of their neighboring Arab countries, however, Qatar, is perceived to support the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as other Islamist extremist groups, prompting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others to pull their ambassadors from the offending state.

Also on the United Arab Emirates’ Saturday list was the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, a group of terrorist militants the UAE is helping to bomb along with others involved in the U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. The Pakistani Taliban, and a group of Yemeni Shiite rebels known as Houthis are also targets.

The organizations on the UAE terrorist list weren’t limited to being just from the Middle East, however. Several Western Islamic organizations were named also, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also known as CAIR, the largest Muslim rights group in the United States.

According to the Jewish Press, though not indicted, CAIR was named a co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation case, where CAIR leaders were found guilty of aiding the known terrorist group, Hamas. CAIR was listed as a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee in that case.

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