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His post, which was likely meant to highlight diversity and community outreach, has instead triggered serious national security questions about his judgment and political alliances.
Wahhaj, now 75, has a long and troubling history. Federal prosecutors once named him an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing—a deadly attack that left six Americans dead and more than a thousand injured. He has openly defended the convicted bombers and once labeled the FBI and CIA as “the real terrorists.”
Although Wahhaj denies direct involvement in terrorism and insists he opposes violence, his track record tells a different story. He famously testified in defense of Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman—known as the “blind sheikh” and a leader of a militant Islamist network—calling him a “respected scholar.”
Intelligence documents obtained by the New York Post reveal that Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse, once delivered a fiery sermon in the early 2000s urging his followers to form an army of 10,000 men to launch what he described as a nonviolent “jihad” on New York City.
“I pray one day Allah will bless us to raise an army, and I’m serious about this,” Wahhaj said during the sermon. “Don’t pick up a gun, no. Just march. March through the city of New York.”
“Let them hear your voice. Let them hear it at night. Let them hear it 24 hours, until the whole city can’t sleep,” he continued.
“We were very close, recently. We had made intention to raise an army of 10,000 men in New York City,” Wahhaj declared, adding, “Muslim men to go fight in the way of subhanahu wa ta’ala.”
Wahhaj has also made disturbing remarks about the LGBTQ community. During one sermon, he called homosexuality “a disease of this society.”
“And you know, brothers and sisters, you know what the punishment is, if a man is found with another man?” Wahhaj said, as reported by Islamist Watch in 2017.
“The Prophet Mohammad said the one who does it and the one to whom it is done to, kill them both,” he added.
Although he discouraged his followers from carrying out violence directly, intelligence assessments noted that he urged them to “invite them to Islam and make them feel comfortable.”
A foreign intelligence assessment cited by the New York Post paints an alarming picture. “The evidence demonstrates that Mamdani’s political trajectory has not only been supported by activist movements but also reinforced by endorsements and alliances noted in figures with a documented history of extremist views and activities, posing a direct national security threat to New York City and the U.S.,” the report stated.
These revelations have alarmed law enforcement observers and Republican leaders alike. For many, Mamdani’s decision to appear with Wahhaj isn’t just politically reckless—it’s dangerous.
Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa wasted no time slamming his socialist opponent. “The fact that Mamdani stands with this imam is disqualifying,” Sliwa said.
“New York needs a mayor who protects New Yorkers from terrorism, not embraces terrorists,” he added.
With this latest controversy, Mamdani’s campaign is under intense scrutiny. What was likely intended as a community outreach event may have just exposed one of the most explosive alliances in recent New York political history.
