Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, led a protest in 2007 against three speakers at the University of Michigan who identified themselves as former terrorists. The event, which featured Walid Shoebat, Zachariah Annani, and Kamal Saleem, was organized to discuss their transitions from groups like the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Muslim Brotherhood to Christianity. The protest resulted in a student walkout, which El-Sayed, then vice president of the Muslim Students Association, publicly supported.
What the Left Is Saying
El-Sayed’s campaign spokesperson, Cole Wozniak, stated that the candidate has "unequivocally denounced terrorism" throughout his career. Wozniak argued that the 2007 protest was a reaction to speakers who have been widely criticized by national security experts for spreading misinformation and fabricating their backstories. He characterized the current scrutiny by Republicans as a distraction from economic issues, stating that "Mike Rogers and his allies are pushing lies because they don't want to talk about the record-high prices Michiganders are paying for gas and groceries because of Trump's illegal war in Iran."
The protesters involved in the 2007 incident, who wore yellow shirts, stated that their objection was not to the speakers' faith but to the generalization of an entire group of people. They argued that the event, framed as an educational opportunity about Muslim extremism, promoted intolerance by linking specific individual histories to a broad demographic. The event organizers had stated the purpose was to educate students about the dangers of extremism.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican critics, including El-Sayed’s opponent in the general election, former Rep. Mike Rogers, have highlighted El-Sayed’s leadership role in the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at the time of the protest. The MSA has been described by researchers as a primary vehicle for the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence on U.S. college campuses. Critics argue that protesting individuals who speak about leaving terrorist organizations suggests a reluctance to confront the ideology of groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
The report notes that the Trump administration has moved to designate specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, including those in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, as foreign terrorist organizations due to their connections to Hamas and the October 7, 2023 attacks. Republicans view El-Sayed’s past affiliation with an organization tied to these groups as a significant contrast to Rogers’ support for robust counter-terrorism policies.
What the Numbers Show
The protest took place in 2007, nearly two decades before the current Senate race. The speakers—Shoebat, Annani, and Saleem—were self-described former terrorists whose backgrounds have been questioned by civil rights organizations and media outlets, including The New York Times in 2008. The New York Times reported that these speakers faced criticism for their claims and that several Arab-American organizations questioned why they had not been arrested or deported given their alleged past connections.
Lara Burns, a senior research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in recent months that the Muslim Brotherhood established a U.S. presence by the early 1960s, functioning primarily through student unions like the MSA. The MSA did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding its current status or historical ties.
The Bottom Line
The resurfacing of the 2007 protest comes as the Michigan Senate race tightens, with forecasters moving several key races toward Democrats. The incident highlights the ongoing national debate over the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in American institutions and the political implications of past student activism. Voters will weigh El-Sayed’s explanation that the protest targeted misinformation against Republican arguments that it reflected a soft stance on groups linked to terrorism. The campaign is expected to see increased focus on national security credentials in the coming weeks.