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.

"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".