The Investigative Project has published a report on University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape who it says is secretly working the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to promote his new book. The IP report begins:
University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape, whose research finds religious extremism has a limited role in suicide bombings, is working secretly with a suspected Hamas front to pump up sales of his new book, the Investigative Project on Terrorism has learned. That includes a secret agreement by CAIR to have its chapters around the country to buy them in bulk so they can manipulate the sales to move up the bestseller ranks. Pape is also scheduled to appear at this weekend’s national banquet for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It, is Pape’s latest project touting his thesis that religion is not a prime factor in suicide bombings. Rather, it is a response to occupation, he argues. That’s appealing to CAIR, which court records show was part of a Hamas-support network in the United States. Prosecutors say CAIR, which touts itself as the nation’s leading Muslim civil rights organization, never withdrew from the conspiracy to support Hamas politically and financially. And the FBI cut off communication with CAIR in 2008, saying it won’t resume until “we can resolve whether there continues to be a connection between CAIR or its executives and HAMAS.”
Read the rest here.
Dr. Pape took part in the 2007 annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) where he participated in a session titled “Not in the Name of Islam – Addressing the Root Causes of Terrorism.” (See Note 1). The session was moderated by Safaa Zarzour, the current ISNA President and member of the board of CAIR-Chicago.
Documents released in the Holy Land Trial have revealed that the founders and current leaders of CAIR were part of the Palestine Committee of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as identifying the organization itself as being part of the US. Brotherhood. A recent post discussed an interview with the Deputy leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in which he confirms a relationship between his organization and CAIR. Investigative research posted on GMBDW had determined that CAIR had it origins in the U.S. Hamas infrastructure and CAIR and its leaders have a long history of defending almost all individuals accused of terrorism by the US. government, frequently calling such prosecutions a “war on Islam.”
(Note 1: Upholding Faith, Serving Humanity ISNA Program, Saturday, September 1, 2007)
Discussion
If somebody is willing to manipulate sales data, he’s probably willing to manipulate social scientific data to support his research as well. Academic dishonesty on both counts.