A Muslim doctor who treats survivors and first responders of the September 11th terrorist attacks has voiced strong condemnation for Twitch streamer Hasan Piker's past remarks that "America deserved 9/11." Qanta A. Ahmed, MD, a consulting sleep specialist for the Federal World Trade Center Health Program, stated that Piker's comments are a "vile trivialization" that also defiles millions of Muslims worldwide who reject extremist ideologies.
Ahmed recounted witnessing the aftermath of 9/11 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, describing it as her introduction to a "profound distortion of my faith." She highlighted the devastating long-term toll of the attacks, noting that while 2,977 people died in the initial attacks, over 9,200 have since died from World Trade Center-related illnesses, including various cancers and respiratory diseases. Currently, 52,000 people have been certified with WTC-related cancers, and more deaths are anticipated.
Beyond the fatalities, tens of thousands of survivors continue to suffer from conditions such as PTSD, sleep apnea, depression, and anxiety. As of last month, the World Trade Center Health Program had enrolled more than 154,700 individuals, with many patients receiving treatment for at least three WTC-related diagnoses. Ahmed observed that some first responders and survivors hesitate to seek care, exhibiting a form of survivor guilt.
Ahmed, who has dedicated 25 years to understanding radical Islam and its impact, has traveled extensively and met with victims and former perpetrators of extremist violence. She argues that Piker's remarks, made in the context of the approaching 25th anniversary of the attacks, are amplified by social media algorithms that reward extreme viewpoints. She also noted that American Muslims, who benefit from freedoms in the U.S., are increasingly targeted by both far-left extremism and Islamism, sometimes responding with "embittered, politicized victimhood."
She appealed to individuals like Piker and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who identify as Muslim and use their identity to mobilize political causes, to reject what she calls "malignant hatred." Ahmed asserted that the nation, 9/11 survivors and responders, and America's Muslims all deserve better than an ideology that seeks to demean the events of that world-shattering day.