Washington: A photo shared by New York mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani during his recent visit to Brooklyn’s Masjid At-Taqwa sparked a political uproar in the United States.
The controversy centres not on the visit itself, but on Mamdani’s photograph with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, who was named an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing that claimed six lives.
The 34-year-old Indian-origin Democrat had attended Friday prayers at the mosque, where he was seen smiling and holding hands with Wahhaj. In a social media post, Mamdani described the imam as “one of the nation’s foremost Muslim leaders” and a “pillar” of Brooklyn’s Muslim community. The post quickly drew backlash from Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump, and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.
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Trump, a long-time critic of Mamdani, lashed out at the mayoral hopeful for what he described as fraternising with someone linked to terrorism. “The Mamdani thing is… it’s a disaster waiting to happen. It’s a shame that this man is endorsing him and seems very friendly with him. You can see there’s a relationship. He blew up the World Trade Centre, right?” Trump said.
US Vice President JD Vance also urged Democrats to denounce Mamdani for associating with an “unindicted co-conspirator in a terrorist plot,” while Republican Representative Elise Stefanik accused him of “openly campaigning with terrorists.”
Musk, who has frequently criticised Mamdani’s views on wealth redistribution, reacted to the post with a curt “wow,” further amplifying the controversy. Mamdani has not issued a direct response to the criticism but suggested the outrage stems from religious bias. “This is happening because of my faith and because I am close to winning this election,” he told reporters, according to the New York Post.
The backlash also reignited public scrutiny of 75-year-old Siraj Wahhaj, the imam of Masjid At-Taqwa. Though never charged in the 1993 bombing, Wahhaj’s mosque was attended by several of the accused, and he has faced criticism for defending them and for his hardline views on homosexuality, adultery, and polygamy.
