A leading Muslim American advocacy group decried the appointment of Stephen Bannon as chief strategist and senior counselor to President-elect Donald Trump.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) described Bannon as a anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist and White nationalist “alt-right” extremist.

Bannon, formerly head of alt-right mouthpiece “Breitbart News,” promoted conspiracy theories that "paint a dark and paranoid picture” of American Muslims, the group said on its Facebook page.

Breitbart News traffics in misogynistic and racist stories targeting women, people of color and immigrants.

“The appointment of Stephen Bannon as a top Trump administration strategist sends the disturbing message that anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and White nationalist ideology will be welcome in the White House,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. 

“We urge President-elect Trump to reconsider this ill-advised appointment if he truly seeks to unite Americans.”

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. 

Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Source: MENA