Michigan Senate hopeful Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is scheduled to participate in a panel at the Islamic Society of North America’s annual convention this weekend in Detroit. The convention has drawn criticism for inviting speakers who have promoted conspiracy theories regarding the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
El-Sayed is slated to appear on a panel with Cenk Uygur, founder of "The Young Turks," and Muslim cleric Zaid Shakir. Both Uygur and Shakir have publicly questioned the established narrative of the events of 9/11. The convention is taking place approximately six days before the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
In February, Uygur posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he no longer believes the official 9/11 story, citing the survival of paper passports in the rubble and the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7. He suggested that the government does not work for the people and has been consistently deceptive. Uygur is also the uncle of streamer Hasan Piker, who previously made controversial statements about the attacks, including that America "deserved" them.
Shakir, according to reports, has highlighted what he describes as "glaring weaknesses and inconsistencies" in the official account of 9/11. He has also contended that the attacks have been used by governmental and religious groups to target Islam. An article penned by Shakir a year prior to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing reportedly advocated for "noncooperation tactics to guerrilla war" and referenced the Iranian Revolution and the rise of the Taliban, with a copy of the article found among the belongings of a suspect in the 1993 bombing.
Other speakers at the convention have also faced controversy. Salam al-Marayati, founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, previously suggested that Israel should be blamed for the 9/11 attacks, remarks he later apologized for, describing them as a hypothetical response to accusations against Muslims. Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a featured speaker, has made statements suggesting Islam is superior to democracy and has controversially spoken about LGBTQ individuals.
The convention's organizers had initially planned to invite Pakistani cleric Tariq Masood, but rescinded the invitation after allegations surfaced that he arranged the marriage of his 13-year-old niece.
El-Sayed himself has recently faced scrutiny over past social media posts. A since-deleted tweet from El-Sayed, preserved by the Wayback Machine, juxtaposed the mourning of 9/11 victims with the devastation in three countries resulting from actions taken in the name of the United States. El-Sayed's campaign stated that he has "always unequivocally condemned terrorism and the September 11 attacks."
If elected, El-Sayed would be the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate. He has spoken about facing barriers due to his name and religion, while also expressing optimism that his election could be possible, referencing former President Barack Obama's success.