US Sen. Boxer rescinds award to Muslim leader

Sen. Barbara Boxer rescinded a certificate honoring a local leader of a Muslim American civil rights group after the organization was accused on conservative Web sites of supporting terrorism. Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, had received a certificate from Boxer's office in November "in recognition of [his] outstanding service." "We made a bad mistake not researching the organization," the California Democrat said. "My organization created this problem. I caused people grief, and I feel terrible. Yet I need to set the record straight, and I'm setting the record straight."