The Council on American-Islamic Relations is demanding that the Young America's Foundation cancel a planned speech Thursday by author Robert Spencer.

Mr. Spencer, author of "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam" and founder of Jihad Watch, is scheduled to speak on the topic, "The Truth About CAIR," at 4 p.m. today at YAF's national student conference at George Washington University.

Calling Mr. Spencer "a well-known purveyor of hatred and bigotry against Muslims" with a "history of false and defamatory statements," an attorney for CAIR on Wednesday wrote a letter (click here to see the letter in PDF format) to"demand that YAF cancel the subject session, or else take steps to ensure that false and defamatory statements are not disseminated at that session."

"CAIR has consistently taken a principled position against terrorism and extremism," Joseph E. Sandler, attorney for CAIR, wrote in his letter to YAF.

"Our clients have instructed us to pursue every available and appropriate legal steps to ensure that false and defamatory statements are not disseminated" during Mr. Spencer's speech, wrote Mr. Sandler.

"We're not going to be intimidated" by people "who are opposed to free expression," YAF spokesman Jason Mattera told The Washington Times. "Not only are we going to have [Mr. Spencer] speak, but [we] are opening the session up to more interns and we will publicize the event further."

More than 400 conservative college students from around the country are attending the weeklong YAF conference, which continues through Friday at GWU's Marvin Center, 800 21st Street NW.

Mr. Spencer responds:

Note the personal smears, the attempt to bully and intimidate, and the non-specificity of the charges against me (they can't be specific, because I don't say anything inaccurate about them -- or about Islam or jihad).

This is an effort to stifle free speech in advance of anything having actually been said. It’s pernicious in my humble opinion, and a serious mistake on CAIR’s part to try to preempt its critics.

CAIR's legal counsel, Joseph Sandler, is also the [Democratic National Committee's] counsel ...

This group of Saudi-funded unindicted co-conspirators really is getting bold.

-- Robert Stacy McCain, assistant national editor, The Washington Times