Michigan Candidate Denies Brotherhood Ties Despite Family Posts
Abdul El-Sayed denies family links to Muslim Brotherhood despite resurfaced social media posts by his half-sister.
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Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, has denied any family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, despite resurfaced social media posts by his half-sister suggesting otherwise. During an appearance on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ El-Sayed categorically denied any connections to the Islamist organization, accusing Republican opponent Mike Rogers of making Islamophobic attacks against him and his family.
Family Posts Contradict Denials
Posts published in 2012 and 2013 by Eman Abdelhadi, El-Sayed’s maternal half-sister, appear to contradict his denial. In a June 2012 post, Abdelhadi wrote, ‘My family has long been MB,’ using the abbreviation for the Muslim Brotherhood. She later described her mother’s activism with the organization during the early 1970s and mentioned family members being jailed for their involvement.
Historical Family Connections
The posts identify their mother, Fatten Elkomy, as the source of the family’s historical connection to the Brotherhood. Elkomy attended Alexandria University in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood had a presence during the 1970s. The family’s ties have drawn additional attention because Elkomy previously worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA), which the Treasury Department said provided financial support to terrorist groups.
Political and Legal Context
El-Sayed’s father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, has held leadership roles with the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Both organizations were named as unindicted co-conspirators in the federal Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing case. El-Sayed’s own past statements about the Muslim Brotherhood have also drawn scrutiny, including his 2012 open letter calling on the group to ‘purge the media and police.’
Broader Implications
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has spawned political movements across the Middle East, including Hamas. The Trump administration has taken steps to designate specific branches as terrorist organizations, while lawmakers have debated broader designations. The controversy highlights the complex interplay between family history, political campaigns, and national security concerns.
Source: Daily Wire
