US senator slammed for saying Muslim advocate supports extremism

Republican Senator John Kennedy accused a leading Muslim civil rights advocate of supporting extremism during a Senate hearing on hate incidents in the US, drawing criticism from many rights groups.

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"You support Hamas, do you not?" Mr Kennedy said to Arab American Institute executive director Maya Berry. She replied by saying: "You asking the executive director of the Arab American Institute that question very much puts the focus on the issue of hate in our country."

In a follow-up question, the senator asked: "You support Hezbollah, too, don't you?"

He later told her: "You should hide your head in a bag." Ms Berry repeatedly said in her responses that she did not support those groups, and added that she found the line of questioning "extraordinarily disappointing".