NYC Taps Al Qaeda Defender as Chief Counsel

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• New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has named Ramzi Kassem, an attorney who previously represented Al Qaeda terrorists, as chief counsel.
• Kassem defended Ahmed al-Darbi and Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani, both tied to Al Qaeda and terrorist plots.
• Mamdani praised Kassem’s legal experience, while critics question the appointment due to his past clients and ties to progressive policies.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani of New York City has selected Ramzi Kassem to serve as the city’s chief legal counsel, a move that has stirred intense debate.

Kassem previously defended high-profile Al Qaeda terrorists in court, including Ahmed al-Darbi and Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani.

Mamdani stated

“I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system.”

He added

“City Hall will be stronger with him in it, and our work of building a more prosperous city for all will have a powerful advocate.”

Mamdani also said

“My sincere hope is that New Yorkers who have long felt on the margins of this city, the homeless veteran straining to survive, the patient searching for the care that they need, an immigrant trying to get by will feel that they now have leaders in their corner who understand their struggles and care to fight for them.”

“That is the city I want to build. The prosperity I intend to deliver and the leadership that has too long been lacking.”

Critics have expressed concerns about Kassem’s history, noting his representation of men involved in terror plots against both American and international targets.

Kassem described his appointment as a chance to repay a debt to the city

“I grew up in war-torn countries in the Middle East, authoritarian regimes, and New York City was really my first stable and permanent home.”

“This is an opportunity for me to repay that debt.”

“I’ve been trying to repay that debt ever since I came to this country, ever since I immigrated.”

Kassem held advisory roles in President Joe Biden’s administration and worked with Columbia University students to return accused terrorists to their home countries.

New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino was strongly critical, saying

“Less than 25 years after thousands of New Yorkers were killed on 9/11, the Chief Counsel of New York is going to be an Islamist lawyer who came to this country after 9/11 specifically to defend the very Al Qaeda terrorists we were fighting against.”

“The fact that our immigration system post 9/11 even allowed him to step foot into the country is a monumental failure.”

“Disgraceful isn’t a big enough word for what’s happening here. The federal government must get a LOT more involved in New York.”

“We cannot allow these people to go unchecked.”

This high-profile appointment raises questions about the future direction of New York City’s leadership.

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