LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Short of an outright endorsement, a Muslim Brotherhood-linked outlet is praising Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
“Direct threats to the safety and security of the American people.”
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 as an Islamic religious and social movement. In January, the U.S. government imposed terrorism-related designations on three of its branches. The Treasury Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, while the State Department designated the Lebanese branch as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley said earlier this year, “The Muslim Brotherhood has inspired, nurtured, and funded terrorist groups like Hamas, that are direct threats to the safety and security of the American people and our allies.”
He added, “Despite their peaceful public façade, both the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood branches have conspired to support Hamas’s terrorism and undermine the sovereignty of their own national governments. This Administration will use all tools at our disposal to hold them accountable for the violence they have encouraged across the Middle East and the world in pursuit of their extreme version of Islam.”
What would an El-Sayed victory mean for Michigan?
El-Sayed, a Muslim and outspoken progressive, narrowly defeated U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Aug. 4 Democratic primary. He will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
Republican National Committee spokesperson Hunter Lovell referred to an article on the Muslim Brotherhood’s official news site titled “Abdul Rahman al-Sayyid conquers the Zionists and runs for the Senate” as a “full-throated embrace of Abdul El-Sayed.” Lovell also said El-Sayed surrounds himself with “people who have excused, celebrated, or associated with some of the most radical Islamic terrorists imaginable.”
Lovell said an El-Sayed victory in November would mean welcoming terrorists and that he would “set the state on fire.”
A family affair.
In addition, El-Sayed’s family connections have drawn scrutiny from Republicans and conservative media outlets. The Washington Free Beacon reported that El-Sayed’s father-in-law, Jukaku Tayeb, donated $300,000 to Fighting for Michigan PAC, a super PAC supporting El-Sayed’s candidacy.
The PAC describes itself as “a coalition of progressive, labor, veterans, and advocacy organizations working to elect Dr. Abdul El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate.” The PAC says its activities are conducted independently of El-Sayed and his campaign.
Tayeb, an immigrant from India, has also served on the Islamic Society of North America’s Founders Committee since at least 2007, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
ISNA describes its mission in markedly different terms from the allegations made against it. Its website states, “The changing landscape of religion in America demands new ways of understanding Muslim communities and further developing a Muslim American identity. To this end, ISNA will help Muslim organizations achieve lasting impact by facilitating educational opportunities, fostering productive partnerships, and organizing for spiritual and civic engagement.”
