Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother’s Past Ties to a Designated Terror-Financing Charity

A new investigative report disclosed that Fatten Fathy Elkomy, the biological mother of Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, was employed by the Islamic American Relief Agency (IARA) from 1999 through at least 2004. The report notes that the U.S. Department of the Treasury later designated IARA as a “specially designated global terrorist” organization for alleged financial support to Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and Hamas. The revelation emerged during the final weeks of the Michigan Democratic primary campaign.

New York PostThe Jerusalem PostReport Links Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother To Group Later Designated By U.S. Treasury

IARA, also known as the Islamic African Relief Agency, presented itself as a humanitarian NGO operating roughly 40 offices worldwide, focusing on health care, orphan care and aid in conflict zones. On October 13 2004, the Treasury announced that the network had moved funds to the Palestinian territories for use in terrorist activities, specifically serving as a conduit to Hamas in a Western European country, and alleged links to Maktab Al-Khadamat, the precursor to al-Qaida.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• IARA operated ? 40 global offices.

The Jerusalem Post

• In a 2010 District Court case for the Western District of Missouri, Elkomy is referenced 14 times, documenting eight wire transfers and five recorded phone calls between 1999 and 2002, including a transfer-request form for $24,607.34 to IARA’s Iraq office.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• The Department of Justice filed a 33-count indictment against IARA-US in March 2007 for illegally moving funds to Iraq; the case cited 945 exhibits.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• IARA-US pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate financial sanctions, moving roughly $1.4 million to Iraq, and agreed to dissolve in 2016.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• No criminal charges were filed against Elkomy or her brother Mohamed Elkomy, despite their appearance in the exhibits.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• U.S. Department of the Treasury (Oct 13 2004): Designated the IARA network and five senior officials as a terrorist-supporting organization.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

• U.S. Attorney’s Office (July 2016): Stated that the plea agreement acknowledged IARA’s designation left it without funds to pay any fine.

The Jerusalem Post

• Fatten Fathy Elkomy (2004 interview): “I’ve been working there serving orphans and children with at least one deceased parent, and it breaks my heart they’re not going to get any help.”

New York Post

• Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign: Contacted for comment but has not issued a public response.

New York Post

Sources agree that IARA was designated for alleged terror financing, but differ on the extent of criminal liability for its personnel. Some reports note that no IARA individuals were charged with terrorism, while others emphasize the organization’s guilty plea to sanctions violations, leaving the precise legal characterization of its members ambiguous. Court documents list Elkomy’s involvement in wire transfers and calls, yet she was never indicted, and the public record does not clarify whether she knowingly facilitated prohibited transactions.

ICYMI: Abdul El-Sayed’s Mother Worked For Designated Terror Organization

Abdul El-Sayed will face Republican nominee Mike Rogers in the November 2026 Senate election. The revelation about his mother’s past employment is expected to feature in campaign discourse, though no formal legal actions have been announced against Elkomy or the candidate.

New York Post