’Why We Left Islam’ editors blast extremists at CAIR

Los Angeles, CA (April 29, 2008) – The editors of a new book compiling the testimonies of ex-Muslims say they weren’t surprised when the Council on American-Islamic Relations attacked their work without reading it.

But, say Islamic experts Joel Richardson and Susan Crimp, they were shocked that the New York Daily News characterized the group as the voice of moderate Muslims.

"Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out" WND Books; hardcover; ISBN 9780979267109; April 29, 2008) was skewered by CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper in the paper – weeks before today’s official release date. The book is controversial for two reasons – the gripping firsthand personal accounts of men and women who risked their lives by abandoning the Koran and because it is the first American book release to feature a picture of the prophet Muhammad on the cover.

CAIR didn’t wait to look beyond the cover before attacking the publisher for spewing hate. But the editors of "Why We Left Islam" those in the media seeking the opinions of CAIR apparently don’t know who they are dealing with.

“Even though CAIR wants to convince people that it’s a moderate organization, the facts say otherwise,” asserts Richardson, who writes using a pseudonym because of previous death threats from Islamic radicals. “The federal government named CAIR an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to Hamas, and Representative Sue Myrick (R-NY) said evidence suggests CAIR is a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood.”

“Evidently, CAIR’s ties to Islamic extremists run deep,” adds Richardson, who noted that a recent WorldNetDaily investigative report linked 14 CAIR officials to terror investigations. Richardson said that he and Crimp—who is a noted journalist and author of books on Mother Teresa and the Kennedys—knew from the start of their collaboration that radical Muslims would go to great lengths to discredit “Why We Left Islam,” so CAIR’s attack came as no surprise.

The group’s spokesman, Ibrahim Hooper, lambasted the book in an interview with the New York Daily News, saying, “This book is put out by WND Publishing [sic], which promotes hate every day on its extremist anti-Muslim hate site.” Hooper also falsely asserted that the company’s editor “suggested air-dropping pig’s blood over Afghanistan,” a claim which CAIR’s lawyer subsequently retracted.

“Why We Left Islam” chronicles the moving accounts of 23 people whose raw and shocking stories reveal the horror of living in a Muslim-dominated society. And the book’s cover makes an equally bold statement with an illustration of the prophet Muhammad. The picture, which comes from an ancient manuscript and is based on a 10th century illustration by a Persian scholar, marks the first time Muhammad’s face has appeared on a book from an American publisher.

Could CAIR’s attacks of the book and its Muhammad cover incite a violent reaction? In Muslim countries around the world, mullahs and government officials have demanded that books dealing harshly with Islam be banned and their authors condemned to death. In 2006, the infamous Danish cartoons lampooning Muhammad instigated riots. But Richardson, himself a target of death threats, says that the brave men and women who share their stories in “Why We Left Islam” chose to risk their lives when they walked away from Islam. He notes that apostasy is punishable by death under Islamic law.

“Why We Left Islam” is available today at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, the Conservative Book Club, and other retailers nationwide.


Contact Information:
To interview Joel Richardson or Susan Crimp, the editors of “Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out,” please contact Jenny at JK Public Relations (703) 842-7405, or email jenny@jkpublicrelationsdc.com.

About WND Books:
WND Books is the publishing imprint of WorldNetDaily, the Internet’s leading independent news site. Founded in 1997, WND is one of the top 25 websites for news according to Nielsen Online. Visit us at www.wnd.com.

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Jenny Kefauver

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JK Public Relations

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