Groundbreaking book a 'powerful educational tool' to challenge Islamophobia

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/5/10) --

BREAKING: CAIR-NY Calls for Maximum Penalties in Mosque Harassment Case

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced today that University of Chicago Professor Robert Pape, the author of a groundbreaking new book showing that foreign occupation -- not religion -- motivates suicide terror attacks, will speak at CAIR's 16th annual banquet on Saturday, October 9 in Arlington, Va.

In his just-released book, Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It, Professor Pape joins with James K. Feldman in examining every suicide terror attack worldwide from 1980 to 2009.

According to the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism:

"Through a close analysis of suicide campaigns by Al Qaeda and in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Israel, Chechnya, and Sri Lanka, the authors provide powerful new evidence that, contrary to popular and dangerously mistaken belief, religion alone motivates only a tiny minority of these attacks. Instead, the root cause is foreign military occupation, which triggers secular and religious people to carry out suicide attacks."

Lee H. Hamilton, co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, said of the book:

"Pape and Feldman offer a powerful analysis of the factors underlying the rise in suicide terrorism in recent years and bring clarity to a complex and challenging subject. I commend this book to both scholars and policy makers with a serious interest in U.S. national security policy."

SEE: Cutting the Fuse
Capitol Hill Event: Moving Beyond the War on Terror

"This groundbreaking new book offers a powerful educational tool to be used in challenging Islamophobia that is based on the false linkage between Islam and suicide terrorism," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

Awad said Professor Pape will also take part in a workshop on "Challenging Islamophobia" at a CAIR leadership skills training conference being held the same day as the organization's annual banquet.

See descriptions of the training sessions.

Professor Pape will sign copies of his new book following CAIR's evening banquet.

Other speakers at the CAIR annual banquet will include Park51 developer Sharif El-Gamal, Muslim 9/11 first responders, noted journalist Helen Thomas, and internationally-renowned Muslim scholar Dr. Tariq Ramadan. Mo Amer of the "Allah Made Me Funny" comedy group will provide entertainment.

To register for CAIR's conference and banquet, go to http://www.cair.com/banquet/.

To make a reservation over the phone or to reserve an entire table for eight people, call 202-742-6454, or e-mail banquet@cair.com [NOTE: No tickets will be sold at the door and CAIR banquets have in past years been sold out events.]

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT:

CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, or 202-488-8787, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com