US Muslim group CAIR slams Texas governor's call to probe 'imaginary sharia courts'

The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) has criticised Governor Greg Abbott’s call to investigate alleged "sharia courts," describing the move as "increasingly desperate and deranged" and rooted in long-standing anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

In a statement, the group said that attempting to ban "sharia" would be no different from banning Jewish halacha or Catholic canon law, calling Abbott’s demand a "direct assault" on religious freedom.

"Greg Abbott’s disregard for the First Amendment, his obsession with Texas Muslims and his dedication to protecting the Israeli government from criticism apparently knows no bounds," CAIR-Texas said.

The group said the governor’s directive follows several failed efforts to penalise Texans who criticised the Israeli government or refused to sign pro-Israel pledges.

"Now, the day after issuing an unconstitutional and error-riddled proclamation targeting the state’s largest Muslim civil rights group, he is ordering Texas district attorneys to investigate imaginary 'sharia courts,'" it said.

Debunked conspiracy theories

CAIR-Texas accused Abbott of promoting "debunked conspiracy theories" and vowed to defend Muslims in the state against what it called his "desperate" attempts to undermine the First Amendment.

The governor’s order claimed unnamed "Sharia tribunals" in North Texas were "masquerading" as legal courts and issuing orders that circumvent US law.

Abbott’s directive was issued shortly after he declared CAIR a "foreign terrorist organisation," a designation the group called "defamatory" and without "basis in law or fact."

CAIR said his proclamation had no legal authority to designate American institutions as terrorist groups.

In its fuller statement, the organisation said Abbott had repeatedly sought to punish Texans who refused to sign pro-Israel pledges and had targeted teachers, students and businesses over political positions relating to Israel.

It added that voluntary arbitration used by religious communities does not replace official courts and must comply with US law.

"CAIR-Texas plans to continue to vigorously defend the Texas Muslim community from this governor’s increasingly desperate and deranged attempts to shred the First Amendment for the benefit of a foreign nation," the group said.

CAIR also noted that previous attempts by Abbott to link Muslim organisations to wrongdoing had failed, and criticised the governor for sharing and amplifying content from figures known for anti-Muslim rhetoric.