Ex-Staffer for Leading Dem Senate Candidate Charged for Terror Campaign Against University Leaders

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

A former staffer for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D) has been indicted along with seven other people for allegedly conspiring to “terrorize” leaders at the University of Michigan into severing ties with Israel.

The indictment, unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Wednesday, alleges that the eight pro-Palestinian activists face various charges, including “conspiracy to transmit threats, witness intimidation and destruction of property to prevent seizure,” according to The New York Times.

Specifically, the indictment reads:

Their criminal activity included spray-painting threats, breaking windows and throwing glass jars filled with noxious chemicals into family homes. They marked their victims with threatening symbols used by Hamas, including red inverted triangles and red handprints. They used the internet and social media to broadcast their message to ensure their threats and commitment to continuing criminal activity were heard by their victims and others who support Israel.

According to The Detroit News, defendant seven, 24-year-old Mariam Odeh, received $154 and $593 on March 3 and March 13, respectively, from El-Sayed‘s campaign as “salary disbursements.”

Per court records cited by The Detroit News, Odeh’s arrangement is set for July 1. She first appeared in U.S. District Court in Detroit, Michigan, on Wednesday.

The Times of Israel added that investigators allege the defendants “discussed using poison, bombs and ‘psychological torture’ against the targets and their families. In one message, in May 2024, two of the defendants agreed to ‘kill,’ ‘torment,’ and ‘terrorize’ their opponents and their families.”

In the audio recording obtained by The Detroit News from the court appearance, pretrial services officer Brian Harmon reportedly tells the judge that Odeh, who he said attended the University of Michigan from 2020 to 2025, held “full-time employment for approximately four months” through April of this year “for a local Senate candidate.”

Harmon also said Odeh resides in Dearborn with her family and teaches Arabic, per the news outlet’s report.

El-Sayed’s campaign allegedly stated that Odeh was an hourly employee for two weeks in April before changing its comments in a text message sent to The Detroit News.

“Upon discovering an error in reviewing our HR files, we’d like to correct information on her employment for transparency. She was hired in February as an hourly employee and left the campaign on April 15. The campaign issued one missed hourly back payment in May that will appear on our next FEC filing,” Roxie Richner, a spokesperson for El-Sayed’s campaign, wrote.

Odeh could face up to five years in prison for charges of “conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate or foreign commerce.”

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