Longtime ISNA Leader Contributes to El-Sayed Super PAC
Abdul El-Sayed's father-in-law, Tayeb Jukaku, a longtime leader of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), has donated $200,000 to the Fighting for Michigan PAC supporting the Michigan Senate candidate. Jukaku serves on ISNA's 20-member founding committee and contributes at least $5,000 annually to the organization, which the federal government has linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas financing.
ISNA was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 USA v. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development case, which resulted in convictions for funneling $12 million to Hamas. Federal prosecutors identified ISNA as part of the US Muslim Brotherhood network. Jukaku has been involved with ISNA since at least 2007 and previously served as president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Michigan chapter from 2005 to 2010. CAIR was also labeled an unindicted co-conspirator in the same case.
Campaign Finance Contradictions and Islamist Ties
El-Sayed campaigns on reducing money's influence in politics, with slogans like 'money out of politics' featured on campaign materials. However, the Fighting for Michigan PAC, which has received nearly half its funding from Jukaku, is spending heavily to boost his primary campaign against Representative Haley Stevens.
Lorenzo Vidino, director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, described ISNA as 'historically created by the Muslim Brotherhood' and noted Jukaku's involvement during periods when the organization promoted extremist views. 'To be on the founding committee means being among the organization's elders,' Vidino said.
Jukaku remains on CAIR Michigan's board. In 2023, he appeared alongside CAIR executive director Nihad Awad at an event where Awad expressed support for Hamas. El-Sayed has avoided criticizing terrorist groups, including declining to comment on the death of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei to avoid alienating left-wing voters.
El-Sayed's campaign did not respond to requests for comment. ISNA and Jukaku also did not respond to inquiries. The American Priorities PAC, an anti-Israel group opposing AIPAC influence, is also funding El-Sayed's bid.