NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Faces Scrutiny Over Ties to Controversial Imam
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is under fire after photos surfaced showing him with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a figure with a history of controversial statements and past links to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
The images, circulating online, depict Mamdani standing alongside Wahhaj at Masjid At-Taqwa in Brooklyn yesterday. Mamdani acknowledged the meeting on X, calling Wahhaj “one of the nation’s foremost Muslim leaders and a pillar of the Bed-Stuy community.” Prosecutors previously identified Wahhaj as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the 1993 bombing, which claimed six lives, and he has publicly defended the attack’s plotters, according to reports. Wahhaj has denied any terrorist affiliations.
Critics have pointed to Wahhaj’s history of extremist rhetoric, including past sermons where he reportedly called for a “gun-free jihad” on New York City and made disparaging remarks about the LGBTQ community. In a 2017 sermon, Wahhaj suggested those engaging in same-sex relations should be put to death, as reported by Islamist Watch. Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa condemned Mamdani’s association, stating it was “disqualifying.” Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, also running as an independent, questioned Mamdani’s judgment, referencing the imam’s ties to terrorism and anti-LGBTQ sentiments, as well as Mamdani’s recent association with a Ugandan politician who enacted harsh anti-gay laws. This controversy adds another layer to the already heated mayoral race, focusing attention on candidates’ associations and stances on sensitive issues.
Councilman Yusef Salaam, a member of the Central Park 5 who was elected in November 2023, was also present in the photograph. Authorities are investigating the extent of Wahhaj’s involvement in the 1993 bombing, and his past legal issues, including the 2018 arrest of his children under disturbing circumstances, continue to draw scrutiny. Mamdani’s campaign has not yet issued a further statement beyond his initial post on X.
