WASHINGTON — Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who is running for the Senate in Michigan, is set to attend an Islamic convention this weekend that has faced backlash due to its associations with several individuals who promote conspiracy theories about the September 11, 2001 attacks.
On Saturday, he is expected to participate in a panel discussion at the Islamic Society of North America’s annual convention in Detroit. He will be joined by Cenk Uygur, founder of “The Young Turks,” and Muslim scholar Zaid Shakir, both of whom have expressed skepticism about the official narrative surrounding 9/11, as first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
Both Uygur and Shakir have voiced doubts about the government’s account of the tragic events that led to nearly 3,000 deaths.
This convention occurs just six days prior to the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
In a startling post on X in February, Uygur stated, “I no longer believe the official 9/11 story. Two paper passports did not burn and were found on the rubble, but it was so hot WTC7 burned down across the street. Nonsense.”
He also suggested, “It’s time to look for who gained from 9/11. Our government doesn’t work for us. They’ve been lying the whole time.”
Uygur, whose nephew is the well-known streamer Hasan Piker, has pushed back against some of Piker’s more outrageous claims, including remarks that the U.S. “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
The host of “The Young Turks” has often engaged in leftist populism while reaching out to conservative figures, even convincing Piker to reluctantly admit his comments about 9/11 were inappropriate.
El-Sayed has campaigned alongside Piker frequently, and although he has condemned some of Piker’s controversial statements, he has not distanced himself from him. In fact, he appeared with him on the last day of his primary campaign.
In the meantime, Shakir has criticized the official narrative of 9/11, claiming there are “glaring weaknesses and inconsistencies.” He has argued that the event has been exploited by the government and certain factions of the Christian Right to justify a war against Islam.
Additionally, Shakir was known for an article he wrote a year before the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, where he urged Muslims to adopt noncooperation tactics similar to guerrilla warfare.
Salam al-Marayati, founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council and another speaker at the convention, stirred controversy in the aftermath of 9/11 by suggesting that Israel should be held responsible. He later apologized, clarifying that his remarks were a “hypothetical rejoinder.”
There’s also Siraj Wahhaj, an imam who has raised eyebrows with statements such as claiming “Islam is better than democracy” and calling for actions to curb LGBTQ+ influences in society.
El-Sayed has faced scrutiny this week regarding past tweets about 9/11, which he has now deleted. In one tweet, he expressed sorrow for the lives lost and infrastructure damage caused on that day, while also alluding to similar tragedies in other parts of the world linked to U.S. actions.
The aspiring senator’s campaign previously asserted that El-Sayed has consistently denounced the attacks and terrorism.
If successful in November, El-Sayed would make history as the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. He has discussed how his name and faith may present challenges with voters, but he takes hope from former President Barack Obama’s election as proof that he can overcome these barriers.
The Post reached out to El-Sayed’s campaign concerning the Islamic Society of North America’s convention.
