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El-Sayed Faces Scrutiny Over Mother’s Terror-Linked Charity Work

8/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan faces scrutiny over his mother’s charity work.
His mother, Fatten Elkomy, worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency from 1999-2004.
The Treasury designated IARA a specially designated global terrorist group in October 2004.
The Treasury said IARA funded Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida, Hamas and the Taliban.
El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary in August 2026 and would be the first Muslim U.S. senator.

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Story summary

U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan faces scrutiny over his mother’s charity work.
His mother, Fatten Elkomy, worked for the Islamic American Relief Agency from 1999-2004.
The Treasury designated IARA a specially designated global terrorist group in October 2004.
The Treasury said IARA funded Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida, Hamas and the Taliban.
El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary in August 2026 and would be the first Muslim U.S. senator.