Democratic Senate candidate El-Sayed’s mother worked for Hamas, Taliban-linked group

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, faces scrutiny after reports revealed his birth mother, Fatten Fathy Elkomy, worked for the Islamic American/African Relief Agency (IARA) from 1999 to 2004. The US Treasury designated IARA in 2004 for ties to terrorist financing, including support for Hamas and the Taliban. Elkomy was mentioned 14 times in court exhibits related to a 33-count indictment against IARA-US for illegally transferring funds to Iraq, but was not charged. El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary in August 2026, has made criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza central to his campaign.

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Michigan, faces scrutiny after it was revealed that his birth mother, Fatten Fathy Elkomy, worked for the Islamic American/African Relief Agency (IARA) from 1999 to 2004. The US Treasury designated IARA in 2004 for ties to terrorist financing, including support for Hamas and the Taliban. Elkomy was mentioned 14 times in court exhibits related to a 33-count indictment against IARA-US for illegally transferring funds to Iraq, but was not charged. El-Sayed, who won the Democratic primary in August 2026, has made criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza central to his campaign. The article notes that El-Sayed rarely mentions his mother, and that the information was first revealed by the Midwesterner, a news outlet, and verified by The Jerusalem Post. Elkomy denied any connections between IARA and terrorists in a 2004 interview.