New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, who campaigned as a moderate Democrat with national security credentials, attended Ramadan services at a mosque led by an imam facing allegations of Hamas ties and who publicly called for a “new intifada” against Israel—raising serious questions about vetting and judgment at a time when Americans are dying in yet another Middle Eastern conflict.
Story Snapshot
- Governor Sherrill visited Islamic Center of Passaic County on March 20, 2026, meeting Imam Mohammad Qatanani despite his alleged 1993 Hamas conviction and 2017 call for intifada
- The mosque’s co-founder was convicted in 2009 for funneling money to Hamas in the largest U.S. terror financing case
- Sherrill praised the community’s “good works” while her office remains silent on whether she knew the imam’s controversial background
- The visit undermines her moderate positioning amid broader frustration with endless wars and leaders who ignore red flags on national security
Moderate Governor Embraces Controversial Religious Leader
Mikie Sherrill attended Ramadan services at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, New Jersey, on March 20, 2026, where she met Imam Mohammad Qatanani and posed for photographs wearing a hijab. The former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor, who won the governorship in November 2025 as a centrist Democrat, praised the mosque community for adhering to Islam’s five pillars and “constantly looking to do good works.” She posted on social media thanking the center and wishing Muslim neighbors a “safe, joyous, and peaceful Eid al-Fitr,” but failed to address the imam’s deeply troubling history.
Imam’s Alleged Hamas Connections and Anti-Israel Rhetoric
Mohammad Qatanani, a Palestinian-born cleric, was reportedly convicted by an Israeli jury in 1993 for Hamas membership, a fact he allegedly omitted from his 1999 U.S. visa application, triggering repeated Department of Homeland Security deportation attempts. In 2017, Qatanani rallied in Times Square and openly called for violence, declaring: “No peace process and negotiation without liberation in Palestine. We have to start a new intifada. Intifada, intifada.” He also praised Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader who endorsed jihad, following Qaradawi’s death in 2022. Qatanani denies the 1993 conviction, claiming only detention, but federal filings and court documents contradict his narrative.
Mosque Tied to Largest U.S. Terror Financing Case
The Islamic Center of Passaic County, founded in 1989, carries a troubling legacy beyond its current imam. Co-founder Mohammad El-Mezain was convicted in 2009 for channeling funds to Hamas through the Holy Land Foundation, the most significant terror financing prosecution in American history. A former imam, Mohammed Al-Hanooti, allegedly raised over six million dollars for Hamas during the 1990s. These documented connections to terrorism financing should raise alarm bells for any public official, especially one with Sherrill’s background in national security. Instead, the governor chose to celebrate the community without acknowledging or addressing these serious historical ties.
Courts Rule on Procedure, Not on Terror Allegations
Qatanani’s permanent residency survived deportation challenges not because courts cleared him of Hamas ties, but because of procedural failures by federal authorities. In July 2025, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his status in a 2-1 decision, ruling that DHS missed critical deadlines rather than adjudicating the underlying terrorism allegations. This legal technicality allowed Qatanani to remain in the United States despite unresolved questions about his past. The court victory does not vindicate the imam or erase the documented concerns that prompted decades of federal deportation efforts, a distinction that matters greatly when evaluating the appropriateness of a governor’s public embrace.
Political Fallout and Unanswered Questions
Sherrill’s office has not responded to media inquiries about whether she knew Qatanani’s background before the visit or why she chose to attend this particular mosque during Ramadan. The silence is deafening for voters who supported her moderate platform, expecting sound judgment on national security issues. This episode fuels legitimate frustration among conservatives and independents already fed up with politicians ignoring obvious red flags while America remains entangled in foreign conflicts. At a time when MAGA supporters question endless wars and the costs of interventionism, Sherrill’s association with a figure linked to the very terrorism American troops fight abroad represents a failure of basic vetting and common sense that erodes trust in leadership.
