One of the biggest winners in New York’s Democratic primary was Aber Kawas, a Democratic socialist endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. But as her victory drew attention, so did previously reported remarks in which she discussed the causes of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Kawas, a Palestinian American and self-described Muslim civil rights advocate, won the Democratic nomination for a New York State Senate seat with roughly 60 percent of the vote, defeating Assemblyman Steven Raga. She is seeking to succeed outgoing State Sen. Mike Gianaris in a district that has historically favored Democrats.
Following her primary victory, critics resurfaced comments Kawas made during a 2017 event hosted by the Asian American Writers’ Workshop.
In those remarks, Kawas argued that “the system of capitalism and racism, and white supremacy, etc., have all, and Islamophobia, have all been used… to colonize lands, right, to take resources from other people,” adding that “we’re just seeing the manifestations of that continuation… with 9/11.”
Mamdani-endorsed Aber Kwas won the Democrat Primary tonight for a State Senate seat in New York.
Here she is saying that 9-11 was America’s fault because of our “system of capitalism, racism, white supremacy and islamophobia.” pic.twitter.com/ouSUB44nz3
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 24, 2026
She also discussed expectations placed on Muslim Americans following terrorist attacks.
“A lot of times people are asking us to respond about… an attack,” she said, arguing that many Muslims come from countries affected by war and foreign policy decisions. She added, “The idea that we have to apologize for… a terror attack that… a couple people did, and then there is no apologies or reparations for genocides and for slavery, etc., is something that I kind of find… reprehensible.”
Those comments have drawn criticism from opponents who argue they place undue emphasis on Western policies rather than the actions of the terrorists who carried out the attacks.
The September 11 attacks were orchestrated by al-Qaeda under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon, and another into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.
Historians have identified a range of factors that contributed to al-Qaeda’s hostility toward the United States. Peter Hahn, a history professor at Ohio State University, has written that the 1979 Iranian Revolution, U.S. support for Israel, and American backing of several secular governments in the Middle East helped shape the broader environment in which extremist groups operated.
Hahn also noted that bin Laden objected to the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia during and after the 1990–91 Gulf War, viewing it as a desecration of Islam’s holiest sites. According to Hahn, bin Laden declared war on the United States in 1996 and went on to organize a series of terrorist attacks, including the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the 2000 attack on the USS Cole, and ultimately the September 11 attacks.
I am proud to endorse a slate of candidates who will champion our affordability agenda in Albany. These leaders represent the very best of public service: a commitment to tackling challenges both large and small and a belief that government should work for everyone—not just the… pic.twitter.com/uen8mDSVmH
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) May 30, 2026
The FBI has described bin Laden as a “violent terrorist and mass murderer who used bombings and bloodshed to advance his extremist goals.”
After U.S. forces killed bin Laden in 2011, President Barack Obama said, “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own.”
Kawas was one of several Democratic socialist candidates endorsed by Mamdani who prevailed in Tuesday’s primaries. With the district heavily favoring Democrats, she is widely expected to enter the general election as the frontrunner.
