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Unearthed clip exposes clash between El-Sayed and ex-GOP rival: ‘Muslims definitely hate you’
Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, once fired back at accusations he might have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that advocates implementing Muslim code, known as Sharia law, as a legal framework.
«Now, you may not hate Muslims. But I’ll tell you, Muslims definitely hate you,» El-Sayed said at a 2018 Michigan gubernatorial forum.
The statement, made in response to a question from Michigan lawmaker Patrick Colbeck about his religious affiliations, demonstrates El-Sayed’s resentment toward efforts to use his Muslim faith as a link to Islamic groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.
It also shows efforts to address fears that, as a Muslim, he would try to implement Sharia law as the law of the land.
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Colbeck was also running for governor at the time.
During the panel, Colbeck focused his criticisms on the Muslim Brotherhood, claiming El-Sayed had ties to the Muslim Students Association (MSA), a group listed as part of a strategy memorandum for North America written by one of the Muslim Brotherhood’s members, Mohamed Akram.
El-Sayed served as the vice president of the MSA chapter at the University of Michigan during his time there as a senior in 2007, according to College Fix.
«This is very serious stuff, guys. This is about civilization jihad,» Colbeck said.
Digital has not discovered any ties between El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood. Notably, the memorandum lists a wide range of organizations, stretching from the Islamic Book Service to the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers, groups that, for their own part, don’t maintain a formal relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood.
Colbeck’s comments prompted the moderator at the 2018 panel to direct a question to El-Sayed directly.
«Is Sharia Law instituted here in the state of Michigan a real concern?» the moderator asked.
El-Sayed took the moment to rebuff Colbeck, stating that he would, if elected, swear an oath to uphold the law of the land and not look to subvert it.
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«I solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state — that’s the oath that if any one of us is elected, we will swear. I take that oath particularly seriously because it guarantees me the right to pray as I choose to pray,» El-Sayed said at the time.
«Sharia law is not in question in this state.»
While the United States doesn’t list the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, other countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Russia all have, citing the group’s history of armed activity.
The Muslim Brotherhood renounced violence in the 1970s but has continued to advocate for ways to codify Muslim religious beliefs in countries around the world since then.
In a 2012 document, the group issued a statement on Islamic law and national identity.
«That is an integral part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s concept of Islamic law or Sharia, which is the most important issue that preoccupies us and which we seek to establish in society, and for which we have offered our dear brothers for martyrdom, imprisonment and persecution over long decades,» the group wrote.
The idea of Muslims using the American election process to implement the Muslim code as the law of the land has raised concerns from lawmakers like Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and others who believe Sharia’s many tenets are incompatible with American culture.
«America is facing a threat that directly attacks our Constitution and our Western values: the spread of Sharia law,» Roy said in a 2025 press release.
«From Texas to every state in this constitutional republic, instances of Sharia adherents masquerading as ‘refugees’ — and in many cases, sleeper cells connected to terrorist organizations — are threatening the American way of life. Those who succumb to this political ideology seek to replace our legal system and Constitution. Under Sharia law, there is no freedom of speech, religion or women’s rights.»
Elsewhere, an increasing number of Muslim representatives and populations in places like Dearborn, Michigan, have led some critics to argue that a kind of preference or leniency toward Muslim individuals is its own version of implementation.
«America, we have lost this city. This is a city that is no longer up under American laws; we are up under Sharia law. We will not have it anymore,» Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, the pastor of 180 Church, said during a town council meeting in Dearborn, calling for the town’s councilmembers to denounce the Muslim code.
According to the 2020 U.S. census, a majority of Dearborn residents reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry at roughly 54.5%.
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Digital is not aware of any proposals from El-Sayed to implement facets of Sharia law. When asked about Sharia law and its implementation in the U.S., a spokesperson for El-Sayed said that would not be his mission as a lawmaker.
«Abdul believes in the separation of church and state. While he personally lives by the rules of his faith, as many Americans of various faiths do, Abdul opposes any effort by any religious community to write their faith laws into the laws of our country,» the El-Sayed campaign told the Washington Free Beacon earlier this year.
politics, abdul el sayed, michigan, islam, first amendment religion us
Republicans are eyeing a rare Senate pickup opportunity in Minnesota, where GOP nominee Michele Tafoya is narrowing the gap with Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, prompting to move the race toward Republicans less than three weeks before Election Day.
It’s been nearly a quarter-century since Republicans last won a Senate election in the blue-leaning state. But Tafoya, a former longtime NFL sideline reporter, is aiming to break that losing streak by flipping the seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.
A new Minnesota Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll shows Tafoya trailing Flanagan by just four percentage points. On Tuesday, the Power Rankings shifted the race to the right, from Likely Democrat to Lean Democrat.
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«The more that Minnesotans learn about me and my opponent and see what my opponent has failed to do over the last eight years alongside [Democratic Gov.] Tim Walz, they’re understanding Minnesota needs change. We need fresh ideas, we need an independent thinker and they’re jumping on board,» Tafoya said in a Digital interview.
Digital reached out to the Flanagan campaign for comment but didn’t receive a response at the time this story was published.
The race is unfolding against the backdrop of Minnesota’s massive welfare assistance fraud scandal, which has attracted national attention for nearly a year and prompted Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to abandon his 2026 re-election bid. The scandal has also become a central issue in Tafoya’s campaign against Flanagan.
Tafoya noted that «there has been historic fraud under this administration, where Peggy Flanagan, my opponent, has been the second-in-charge in this state. And not only was the money stolen, it hollowed out these programs that were supposed to be getting help, like kids’ meals or autistic kids or seniors who were supposed to be getting visits, health visits, wellness visits. And, so, that’s been hollowed out.
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«Walz understood that he was not going to win another term as governor with these conditions, but my opponent thinks she deserves a promotion. I think people are starting to realize she deserves a pink slip.»
Flanagan has said she is «incredibly angry with the fraud,» has acknowledged public frustration over the scandal and said more could have been done sooner to catch and prevent the fraud. The lieutenant governor has noted that she was not in charge of the state agencies at the center of the scandals or steering the daily state response. She has also distanced herself from Walz, who has accepted blame for the fraud.
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«It’s wall-to-wall coverage on every nightly news program here for months and months. We’re seeing it in polling,» Minnesota-based veteran national Republican strategist Kirsten Kukowski told Digital.
Pointing to Flanagan, Kukowski said she has «a lot of fraud baggage … and it’s really made the Senate race really tight here.»
Tafoya is also highlighting a recent spate of gang-related shootings in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburbs and on Monday announced a five-point-plan to combat the violence.
«We will do more in our first eight weeks as a U.S. Senator than Peggy Flanagan has done in eight years as the second in charge,» she told Digital.
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«First of all, we’ve got to name the problem, and even Somali lawmakers and law enforcement have named this problem. We have a Somali gang violence problem. We’ve got to name it. She refuses to name it. You can’t fix it if you don’t name it,» Tafoya emphasized as she referred to Flanagan.
Flanagan, a progressive candidate backed by left-wing champions, Sens. Bernie Sanders Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna, topped more moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig by roughly 20 points in the August Senate primary.
Tafoya grabbed over 50% of the vote in the GOP Senate primary as she topped a crowded field of rivals. She was heavily recruited by national Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.
«We did a really good job of recruiting the most independent-minded Republican who understands why it’s important to win in Minnesota,» Scott said in an interview on Fox News’ «Hannity.»
«Michele Tafoya has a story to tell. She’s doing a really good job. This is a race that will come down to the wire.»
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the top Republican in the chamber, recently teamed up on the campaign trail in Minnesota with Tafoya. But the Thune-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, the top super PAC backing GOP Senate candidates, has yet to make a major investment in the race.
Asked about national Republican support, Tafoya said, «We are getting small dollar donations from all over the country. We’re getting donations from every county in this state, and I am a happy warrior. And I will deal with the circumstances I’m given. … We’re going to win this campaign on ideas.»
Democrats are hopeful that popular Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is running for governor this year, may help push Flanagan over the finish line.
«Our latest poll has Flanagan with a strong lead, and we fully expect her to be elected to the U.S. Senate,» Lauren French, communications director for the Senate Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC, told Digital.
French argued that «Republicans are spending in deep red states and watching the battleground map extend around them. Their desperate last-minute attempt to push Minnesota into play is a political ploy.»
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Flanagan has repeatedly tied Tafoya to President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings are well underwater in Minnesota.
«Michele Tafoya is all in for Donald Trump — and he’s all in for her,» Flanagan reiterated Monday in a social media post.
Flanagan, who is Native American, also wrote on X, «My Ojibwe name is Gizhiiwewidamookwe, which means ‘Speaks in a Loud and Clear Voice Woman.’ I’m going to be Minnesota’s voice in the U.S. Senate — not Donald Trump’s.»
But Tafoya appears to be putting some daylight between herself and Trump, as she highlights her support for abortion rights.
«I’m a pro-choice Republican not afraid to stand up to my party,» Tafoya says in a new campaign commercial. «When Trump is right, I will work with him. When he is wrong, I will stand up for Minnesota.»
The ad was quickly criticized by leaders on the right.
Among them was Mercedes Schlapp, a senior fellow at the Conservative Political Action Conference, who said on social media, «Pro-life Republicans will stay home after watching this ad.»
But hours later, Trump gave Tafoya a plug, telling the crowd at an Ohio rally he headlined, «You have to vote for Michele Tafoya, who’s a very respected person.»
minnesota fraud exposed, minnesota, tim walz, donald trump, midterm elections, senate elections
INTERNACIONAL
Trump wishes Pope Leo speedy recovery after lung cancer diagnosis, speaks highly of pontiff’s brother
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President Donald Trump wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery Wednesday following his lung cancer diagnosis, revealing that he is friends with the pontiff’s brother, whom he described as an enthusiastic MAGA supporter.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Arizona to Montana, Trump expressed optimism about the 71-year-old pontiff’s recovery following surgery to remove part of his right lung.
«I want to see Pope Leo get well. I hear the prognosis for that type of a problem. It’s a cancer. It’s big stuff. Anytime you have cancer,» the president said. «But the prognosis seems to be good, I’ve watched. And we just want to wish him our love and our best wishes.»
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Oct. 14, 2026. Later that day, Trump wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery following his lung cancer diagnosis. (Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump then discussed his friendship with the pope’s brother and his wife, describing them as enthusiastic supporters of the president.
«His brother is a friend of mine, who’s a great — he’s a fantastic guy — and his wife. You know, they’re big Trump supporters. They have MAGA all over their house,» he continued. «And I can say that his brother loves him a lot. Loves the pope a lot, and that’s good, but I just want to wish him well. Get better fast.»
The president’s remarks came one day after the Vatican announced that Leo had been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer, following surgery at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome.
According to the Holy See Press Office, doctors removed the lower lobe of the pontiff’s right lung during a procedure that lasted approximately 90 minutes. Doctors reported no complications.
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Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Vatican said the cancer diagnosis was confirmed through an examination of tissue collected during surgery, consistent with findings from tests conducted before the procedure.
Leo had previously disclosed that doctors discovered a small lump in his lung at an early stage and recommended surgery. Following the operation, he awoke normally and returned to his hospital room after a brief observation period, according to the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Vatican City last May; Rubio has been lauded by President Donald Trump as someone who is able to bridge gaps in diplomatic relations unlike any other. (Vatican Media/Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
pope leo xiv, donald trump, vatican, world, religion
INTERNACIONAL
Más de 140 cuerpos envueltos en bolsas y sábanas aparecen en las calles de Guatemala: la guerra de pandillas que triplicó las cifras y desbordó a las autoridades
Más de 140 cuerpos sin vida aparecieron envueltos en bolsas plásticas, sábanas o sacos en las calles de Guatemala durante 2026. La cifra ya triplica el total registrado en todo el año anterior y convirtió este patrón criminal en una de las principales preocupaciones de seguridad del país centroamericano.
El dato surge de un informe del Ministerio Público al que accedió la agencia EFE: 137 hallazgos de este tipo se produjeron hasta octubre, frente a los 39 casos que la Policía Nacional Civil contabilizó en todo 2025.
El reparto geográfico confirma dónde golpea con más fuerza esta modalidad. De los 14 departamentos donde se registraron los hallazgos, el departamento de Guatemala, que incluye la capital, concentra 105 cuerpos dejados a la intemperie, la gran mayoría del total nacional.
Cómo explican las autoridades este patrón de violencia
Las investigaciones del Ministerio Público y la policía atribuyen el fenómeno a la rivalidad territorial entre pandillas que compiten por el control de puntos de venta de droga, además de represalias internas dentro de las propias estructuras.
La Mara Salvatrucha y el Barrio 18, señaladas como principales responsables, fueron declaradas organizaciones terroristas por la legislación guatemalteca en 2025.
“De acuerdo con las investigaciones y análisis realizados por las unidades especializadas, una de las principales líneas de investigación está relacionada con la rivalidad y disputa territorial entre estructuras criminales”, explicó el portavoz de la Policía Nacional Civil, César Mateo, a EFE.
El funcionario detalló que las motivaciones responden sobre todo a “el control de sectores utilizados para la venta y distribución de drogas, así como correcciones a lo interno de las propias pandillas”.
El desglose técnico aporta otro ángulo del problema. De las víctimas localizadas, 68 aparecieron en bolsas plásticas, 53 envueltas en sábanas y 10 dentro de costales, mientras el resto se detectó en circunstancias diversas, según el reporte del Ministerio Público citado por la agencia.
El rastro de un crimen reciente en Chinautla
A finales de septiembre, un hallazgo concreto ilustró el patrón que describen las estadísticas. En el municipio de Chinautla, a cinco kilómetros del centro de la capital, los Bomberos Voluntarios fueron alertados sobre dos cadáveres envueltos en bolsas plásticas a un costado de la carretera.
Las víctimas tenían las manos y los pies atados. Hasta el momento no hay información sobre los responsables, mientras la Fiscalía y la Policía Nacional Civil investigan el caso a través de cámaras de vigilancia, según el reporte al que accedió EFE.
El portavoz policial explicó a la agencia que la forma y las condiciones en las que se abandonan los cuerpos constituyen indicios clave. La Unidad de Videoforense analiza esas grabaciones para reconstruir las rutas de traslado y llegar a los responsables.
Ese trabajo ya dejó resultados concretos. Mateo confirmó ante EFE que las fuerzas de seguridad capturaron a más de diez personas vinculadas al abandono de cadáveres en sábanas y bolsas, entre ellas siete presuntos integrantes de la Mara Salvatrucha detenidos en septiembre y acusados de al menos 17 homicidios.
El dolor familiar detrás de las cifras
En agosto, dos jóvenes de 18 y 19 años aparecieron envueltos en bolsas en el sur de la capital, tras haber sido secuestrados en una cancha de fútbol cercana. Sus familiares los buscaron durante 24 horas antes del hallazgo. La escena desató el dolor y la impotencia de quienes llegaron al lugar.
El contexto de una ofensiva estatal contra las pandillas
El repunte de los cuerpos envueltos no se traduce, sin embargo, en más homicidios en términos generales. Según cifras de la Coalición por la Seguridad Ciudadana, organización civil, Guatemala registró 2,338 homicidios entre enero y septiembre de 2026, 59 menos que en el mismo período de 2025.
Este fenómeno se produce en paralelo a una ofensiva más amplia del Gobierno guatemalteco contra las estructuras criminales. Según datos del Ministerio de Gobernación, las fuerzas de seguridad capturaron a 750 presuntos pandilleros en lo que va de 2026: 516 del Barrio 18, 204 de la Mara Salvatrucha, 33 de White Fence y 13 de la organización de narcomenudeo conocida como Los Caradura.
La presión estatal incluyó también el desmantelamiento de 544 cámaras de vigilancia ilegal que las pandillas habían instalado para controlar territorios y anticipar movimientos policiales, de acuerdo con registros oficiales del Ministerio de Gobernación.
Esa ofensiva generó episodios de violencia que las propias autoridades vinculan con una reacción de las estructuras criminales. El 29 de septiembre, seis ataques simultáneos en Ciudad de Guatemala, Villa Nueva y Amatitlán dejaron varios muertos, entre ellos un médico y conductores de transporte público.
El ministro de Gobernación, Marco Antonio Villeda, calificó esa jornada como “atípica” y atribuyó al menos tres de los ataques a una coordinación deliberada para dispersar a la fuerza pública. Las autoridades investigan si existe conexión entre esos hechos y la guerra territorial que también explica el abandono sistemático de cadáveres envueltos en plástico.
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