A high-profile sheriff who testified Thursday about the radicalisation of US Muslims rebuked a congressman who called Muslim group CAIR a "terrorist organisation" and challenged authorities to charge it with a crime. Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca clashed with the lawmaker who made the accusation against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), suggesting he was driving a wedge between federal officials and efforts by Baca's police force to engage Muslim communities.
Republican Representative Chip Cravaack said CAIR was "using" Baca, and when he suggested the lawman knew CAIR was affiliated with Hamas, Baca shot back: "No I'm not aware." When Cravaack called CAIR a terrorist organisation, the visibly irritated sheriff said he knew of no criminal allegations against the group.