Mamdani hands 9/11 ceremonial pen to lawyer who defended bin Laden ally

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed two executive orders related to the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, then handed the ceremonial pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, asking her to pass it to his chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem. Kassem, a CUNY law professor, previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, a close ally of Osama bin Laden convicted of bombing a French oil tanker. A retired detective criticized the gesture as a deliberate provocation during a victims' ceremony.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed two executive orders on Friday, September 4, 2026, in preparation for the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center attack. The first order designated September 11 as an official Citywide Day of Remembrance and Service; the second established a Continuity and Mission Assurance Team (CMAT) to strengthen emergency preparedness. After signing, Mamdani handed the ceremonial pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and reportedly asked her to pass it to his chief legal counsel, Ramzi Kassem. Kassem, a law professor at CUNY, previously represented Ahmed al-Darbi, a close ally of Osama bin Laden convicted of bombing a French oil tanker. Retired detective Michael Alcazar told the New York Post the choice was deliberate and intended to send a message, calling it a provocation during a ceremony meant for victims. He said 9/11 families did not come to City Hall to watch Mamdani spotlight someone whose work intersects with the ideology that took their loved ones, and that Commissioner Tisch was reduced to a prop. The article also notes Mamdani launched a public online portal for 9/11 records, releasing approximately 170,000 pages on health concerns, air quality, and the city's response.