El-Sayed's Ties to Muslim Brotherhood-Linked Groups Under Scrutiny
Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed participated in a series of upscale yacht fundraisers for an Islamic charity tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to records reviewed by [Outlet Name]. The events, organized by Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), occurred between March 23 and April 6, 2019, in cities including New York City, where attendees cruised past the Statue of Liberty aboard the Nautical Empress, a tri-level yacht with capacity for 600 guests.
One featured speaker, Amer Zahr, had previously urged Muslims to "stand with" Hamas and Hezbollah and criticized condemnations of antisemitism. Zahr, described as a "very good friend" of El-Sayed, promoted the events on social media alongside Yousef Abdallah, then an IRUSA operations manager, who had made antisemitic remarks in a 2014 Facebook post.
IRUSA has faced prolonged scrutiny over its financial ties to Islamic Relief Worldwide, sanctioned by Israel in 2014 for alleged support of Hamas. The House Ways & Means Committee launched a 2024 investigation into both organizations, citing reports that IRUSA provides nearly one-third of Islamic Relief Worldwide's annual revenue. The House Oversight Committee in 2018 labeled IRUSA a "prime example" of Muslim Brotherhood influence in the U.S., as the Brotherhood formed Hamas in Gaza in 1988.
El-Sayed's Extremism Concerns Resurface
El-Sayed's campaign has not addressed questions about his involvement with IRUSA or its leadership. Ahmed Shehata, IRUSA's CEO and a donor to El-Sayed's Senate bid, has been linked to Brotherhood-aligned activism, including a 2014 event featuring the group's "Rabia" symbol. Esam Omeish, an IRUSA director and former president of the Muslim American Society, called an "overt arm" of the Brotherhood by Congress, donated $4,350 to El-Sayed and once advocated for "the jihad way" in speeches.
El-Sayed's connections extend to family: his father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, a founding member of the Islamic Society of North America (linked to Hamas financing), has contributed $300,000 to a PAC supporting El-Sayed. The candidate himself defended the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in a 2011 essay, downplaying risks of its governance following the Arab Spring. The Trump administration designated the Egyptian Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2024 for coordinating with Hamas.
El-Sayed's campaign has not responded to requests for comment. The events underscore his longstanding relationship with figures like Zahr, who campaigned with him for Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential bid and later mocked calls to condemn Hamas's 2021 attack on Israel during a Dearborn panel.