Counter-terrorism Training will Continue in Florida

Florida’s Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission declined to take action regarding the Council on American Islamic Relation’s (CAIR) effort, led by Hassan Shibly, to stop the FDLE from using counter terrorist training expert, Sam Kharoba. A complaint filed by CAIR with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FLDLE) was referred to the Commission.

CAIR’s Hassan Shibly presented his complaint at the Commission’s November 1, 2012 meeting. The Commission gave Sam Kharoba, founder of the Counter Terrorism Operations Center – CTOC, time to respond.

Kharoba stated, “Hassan Shibly requested permission and was granted the opportunity to address the commission. He itemized 10 issues relating to my training – which is pretty much what we heard in their July letter to Commissioner Bailey. I then requested and was granted permission to address the committee. I emphasized the fact that CAIR hinders law enforcement and detailed their attacks on DOD, DBI, NYPD and other LE agencies. I stressed the fact there are approximately 90,000 LE officers in the state of FL where each works 2000 man hours a year. That equates to 180,000,000 hours of law enforcement services hours a year in FL and pointed out that there are no complaints or cases where Muslim Civil Rights have been violated by LE officers in FL.”

The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission agenda summarized their position at the end of the agenda item as follows:

The CAIR complaint was provided to the Florida Criminal Justice Training Center Director’s Association and Director Pritt discussed the issue with the membership. The Association has not expressed a need to amend or enhance any of the current training offerings or to address the use of Mr. Kharoba as an instructor, as this is at the discretion of individual agencies and training centers based on vetting requirements previously articulated. If the Commission feels we need to re-address instructor standards or vetting, or to develop additional goals and objectives addressing counter-terrorism and domestic security, we are prepared to support the direction of the Commission.

RECOMMENDATION(S): This agenda item does not require Commission action.

Shibly said. “He (Kharoba) encourages law enforcement officers to view Muslims with distrust. His training materials encourage law enforcement officers to profile and target Muslims.” CAIR’s letter to these officials claims that Kharoba’s training manual says Islam favors war, not peace, and says countries with a 99-percent Muslim population are “ultimate Jihad-manufacturing societies.”

The FBI policy is not to communicate with CAIR in part due to the organization’s ties to and apologetics for terrorists. CAIR is named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Foundation trial.