Survivors of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing have expressed their discontent with mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani after he shared a photo of himself smiling alongside Imam Siraj Wahhaj. Wahhaj has been labeled an “indicted co-conspirator” in connection with the attack by federal prosecutors.
Mamdani, who is 34, praised Wahhaj, referring to him as a “leader and pillar” of the Muslim community both in Brooklyn and across the nation. However, many quickly pointed out the imam’s controversial history, particularly from those who survived terrorist incidents he is suspected of helping orchestrate.
“No one should downplay what happened,” stated Stan Brezenoff, a former executive director of the Port Authority who was in the World Trade Center during the attack, where a massive car bomb was detonated by Islamic extremists. This incident resulted in six fatalities and over 1,000 injuries.
Brezenoff described the event as a “hellish experience,” noting that the September 11, 2001, attacks obscured the original bombing from public memory, but not for those who lived through it in New York.
“The hospital was overwhelmed,” he recalled, mentioning that the tower remained closed for “months” and many employees were apprehensive about returning. “People didn’t want to go back to work,” he admitted. “I was concerned.”
While Wahhaj was never formally charged regarding the bombing, he underwent significant scrutiny from federal investigators when it was revealed that some of the attackers were congregants at his mosque. Prosecutors suspected he had a role but lacked sufficient proof to file charges, leading to criticism about the investigation’s breadth.
Wahaj has consistently denied involvement but has made comments defending some of the bombers, labeling the FBI and CIA as “the true terrorists.” Beyond this incident, he has also historically criticized American society and has supported individuals viewed by many as terrorists.
Mamdani has yet to respond to inquiries about his connection with Wahhaj. For those who experienced the 1993 attack firsthand, any connection seems highly inappropriate.
“These issues are deeply personal for New Yorkers. They affect our family, friends, and neighbors,” stated Maria D’Anzillo, 69, who was in the North Tower during the bombing. “Why stir the pot like this? It’s counterproductive to healing.” She reflected on her own sister’s traumatic experience during the incident, mentioning how she fled to Washington, D.C., and ended up just a block from the Pentagon during the 9/11 attack.
“For many New Yorkers, these were not merely ‘events.’ They were transformative experiences,” noted D’Anzillo, who works with a pro-Andrew Cuomo group but emphasized her concerns about Mamdani’s photo had nothing to do with political affiliation.
After the current president of the Port Authority’s Police Benevolent Association, Frank Conti, showed support for Wahhaj, it raises questions about Mamdani’s candidacy. “Anyone who supports Mamdani must have forgotten the World Trade Center bombing of February 26, 1993,” he remarked. “What’s happened to New York’s promise to ‘never forget’?”
