Incident Involving Iraqi Immigrant and Right-Wing Activist
Federal authorities have identified a suspect seen on camera attacking right-wing activist Jake Lang as a man with a serious criminal background. Abbas Abdush, 57, described as a “criminal illegal alien from Iraq,” was serving a long prison sentence for murder in Detroit.
Abdush emigrated from Iraq to the U.S. in 1992 but lost his legal status in 1999 when he was convicted of second-degree murder. This crime involved him intentionally crashing a rented van into a woman in Detroit in 1998, according to court documents.
After spending over 15 years in prison, he was ordered to be deported in June 2022, as reported by ICE.
On August 2, a controversial activist, who had been making anti-immigrant comments through a bullhorn during an annual celebration in Dearborn, allegedly assaulted Lang, which sparked the incident. Videos show Lang stating his support for ICE and expressing strong sentiments against illegal immigration.
In a separate video, a man is seen punching Lang from behind, leading to a chaotic scene where onlookers chased the assailant before officers intervened and placed him in a patrol car.
Abdush was arrested alongside two other men, both 25 years old, one from Detroit and the other from Dearborn.
On August 5, ICE apprehended Abdush as he was released from police custody. Officials noted that he had been legally accepted into the U.S. in 1992 but later breached the terms of his admission due to his criminal conviction.
Currently, he remains in custody at the Northlake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan, where he will be provided with due process, as stated by ICE.
The situation surrounding Lang has also been contentious. He has been involved in previous confrontations in Dearborn and even threatened legal action against the city regarding security issues. Lang’s past includes his participation in the January 6th Capitol riot, for which he received a four-year prison sentence. Just recently, he faced charges related to threatening a Capitol Police officer.
Moreover, Lang had attempted to run for a Senate seat in Florida, pledging to ban Islam if elected, but ultimately could not qualify for the primaries and dropped out.
His activities have not gone unnoticed, attracting harsh criticism from sections of the Muslim community, including a suspect tied to ISIS who, during a protest, made threatening remarks about Lang.
