A Brooklyn imam with ties to terrorism, Imam Siraj Wahhaj, was seen this week posing for photos with Zoran Mamdani, a socialist candidate for mayor of New York City. This connection raised eyebrows, particularly given Wahhaj’s past calls for a “holy war” in the city.
During a sermon in the early 2000s, Wahhaj urged his followers to participate in a gun-free jihad and to “march through New York City,” according to intelligence assessments obtained recently.
He expressed a desire to mobilize an army, stating, “I pray that one day Allah will bless us to raise an army. I am thinking seriously about this,” which was highlighted in the intelligence report.
He mentioned, “Recently we were very close. We were going to muster 10,000 troops in New York City,” emphasizing a significant gathering of supporters.
Using the phrase “Subhanahu wa taala,” which translates to “Glory be to Allah,” he asserted that Muslim men should consider going to war.
Wahhaj remarked, “There are 800,000 Muslims in New York City. Can you imagine if 800,000 Muslims decided to march every day?” His vision for a mass mobilization was clear.
He encouraged action without the necessity of firearms, suggesting instead, “Just march. March through the streets of New York. Let me hear your voice. Let me hear it at night. Let me hear it 24 hours a day until the whole city can’t sleep.”
His rationale for this call to action was to garner support for Muslims facing adversities, particularly those in Bosnia.
Wahhaj described his message as a “holy war obligation here in America,” advocating for financial assistance to fund efforts in Bosnia and urging any means necessary to arm those in the region.
Furthermore, he advocated for raising funds to aid Muslims in various places, including Somalia, Palestine, and Algeria, suggesting a broader, global campaign.
Meanwhile, Mamdani was actively campaigning alongside Wahhaj, who has controversial ties to past terrorist activities, including connections to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, although he hasn’t been formally charged. The Democratic frontrunner for mayor was seen smiling in photographs with Wahhaj at the imam’s mosque following the first mayoral debate.
