WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Avery Daye alleged El-Sayed has ties to Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups.
  • She cited ISNA, CAIR, and the Muslim Student Association.
  • Martha MacCallum pressed El-Sayed on terrorist designations.
  • El-Sayed denied having direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Avery Daye is raising allegations about Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s associations with organizations and individuals she says are connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, arguing that voters should closely examine his record, family ties, and past statements on terrorism and U.S. counterterrorism operations.

Daye pointed to a 1991 Muslim Brotherhood memorandum that listed 29 organizations it described as useful to its work in America. She argued that El-Sayed has relationships with several groups named in that document, including the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim Student Association and organizations connected to the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

"People have no idea how scary the Democrats' nominee for Senate in Michigan actually is. They hear Republicans complain about it and think it's a racist thing. Oh, they just don't like Islam. It is not. That is not true. This man is legitimately working with known terrorist affiliates with the goal to force Islam into every home," Daye said.

She cited the memorandum’s language about a "grand jihad" and argued that its strategy involved building coalitions and working through other political movements inside the United States.

Daye also focused on El-Sayed’s father-in-law, Tayeb Jakaku, whom she described as having ties to ISNA and CAIR and as a significant financial supporter of El-Sayed’s campaign.

"The first organization is listed as number one on the friends list: the Islamic Society of North America, or ISNA, and his father-in-law Tayeb Jakaku sits on the founders committee with other known members of the Muslim Brotherhood," Daye said.

She further alleged that ISNA had connections to the Holy Land Foundation case and noted that prosecutors had named ISNA as an unindicted co-conspirator. Daye also pointed to a 1993 Philadelphia meeting involving figures she said were associated with Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups in the United States.

Daye argued that El-Sayed’s ties extended beyond family connections.

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She said El-Sayed has spoken at ISNA and CAIR events and also appeared at an event involving the Islamic Circle of North America. She additionally highlighted El-Sayed’s past role with the Muslim Student Association at the University of Michigan.

"Next, Abdullah Al Sayed helped run MSA, Muslim Student Association, also listed as a friend to the Muslim Brotherhood, number two on the friends list. He sat on the board at the University of Michigan. His wife was on the board there too," Daye said.

Daye also criticized El-Sayed’s past reactions to U.S. counterterrorism operations.

She cited his criticism of the U.S. killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, saying El-Sayed described the operation as an "extrajudicial assassination."

She also referenced a 2022 essay El-Sayed wrote after the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

According to Daye, El-Sayed wrote that it was "quote troubling to watch yet another American president flog war on terror themes to resurrect a lagged term."

Daye also cited El-Sayed’s reaction after President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January 2020.

"In January 2020, President Trump took out Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian general behind the roadside bombings that killed and maimed American troops in Iraq. Al Sayed's warning, he said, one shouldn't kick a rabid dog," Daye said.

She also pointed to El-Sayed’s writings during the Arab Spring and his support for protesters in Egypt during the period when the Muslim Brotherhood rose to power.

Daye said El-Sayed later signed a letter backing actions taken by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and calling for changes involving the media and police.

She also cited old social media posts attributed to El-Sayed’s sister that referenced family connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Daye then turned to a television interview in which Martha MacCallum directly questioned El-Sayed about terrorist designations involving Muslim Brotherhood organizations in several countries.

"But we have the United States has terror designations on Muslim Brotherhood organizations in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. So, if you become a U.S. senator, will you support those terrorist designations of those groups in order to support U.S. national security?" MacCallum asked.

El-Sayed responded by defining terrorism in terms of political violence.

"I think terrorism is the act of political violence. So, I will support a terror designation for any organization that is engaged in or committed to political violence," El-Sayed said.

MacCallum pressed him for a more direct answer.

"Do you support the designations of the Muslim Brotherhood in those countries?" she asked.

"I want to understand. Show me that they're engaged. Any organization is engaged in political violence. I will back a terrorist designation," El-Sayed replied.

MacCallum then cited specific allegations involving Muslim Brotherhood branches.

"So on October 7th, the Egyptian chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood called for violent attacks against the United States, its partners, and interests. The Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood supported Hamas. And they threatened Americans living in the region and our partners. So, do you stand by those designations?" MacCallum asked.

"As I said, any organization engaged in political violence or calling for political violence is engaged in terrorism, and I would support those designations," El-Sayed answered.

Daye argued that El-Sayed’s answers did not resolve her concerns.

"Oh, great! So he thinks the terrorist label isn't correct because he's a part of the group, and we have the Muslim Brotherhood celebrating his win on their website. But remember, according to Al Sayed, he has, quote, no ties," Daye said.

El-Sayed has denied having direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

"Yeah, I'm telling you, like we, I have no ties. We have no ties," El-Sayed said.

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