Governor CAUGHT In Mosque With Hamas Bankroller!

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and military veteran who campaigned as a national security moderate, chose to celebrate Ramadan at a mosque with deep-rooted Hamas financing ties—why risk her hard-won centrist image now?

Story Snapshot

Governor Sherrill attended services on March 21, 2026, at Islamic Center of Passaic County, meeting Imam Mohammad Qatanani directly.
The mosque links to Hamas via co-founder Mohammad El-Mezain’s 2008 conviction for terror financing and former imam Mohammed Al-Hanooti’s alleged $6 million fundraising.
Qatanani faced 2025 deportation over Israeli imprisonment records and a 2017 “new intifada” call, though courts ruled evidence weak.
Sherrill praised the community’s “five pillars of Islam” and charity, posting photos on Facebook amid reports of Islamist attacks post-Iran war start.
No response from Sherrill’s office or mosque as conservative media highlights the irony of her law enforcement background.

Sherrill’s Mosque Visit Sparks Immediate Controversy

Governor Mikie Sherrill arrived at the Islamic Center of Passaic County on March 21, 2026, for Ramadan services as the holy month ended. She met Imam Mohammad Qatanani and lauded the congregation’s devotion to Islam’s five pillars and charitable acts. Sherrill posted photos on Facebook, thanking the center for the welcome. This visit came weeks after her November 2025 election win, where she secured a 14-point victory by branding herself a moderate Democrat with national security expertise. Conservative outlets quickly spotlighted the event’s timing amid rising Islamist threats following the Iran war’s onset.

https://twitter.com/MichaAudra/status/2036815442971373579

Islamic Center’s Long History of Hamas Connections

The Islamic Center of Passaic County opened in 1989 and soon drew federal scrutiny for terror financing. Co-founder Mohammad El-Mezain received a conviction in 2008 for funneling funds to Hamas via the Holy Land Foundation, America’s largest such case. Former imam Mohammed Al-Hanooti allegedly raised over $6 million for the group in the 1990s, though he denied it. These ties persisted despite legal challenges. New Jersey’s Muslim population doubled to 321,000 from 2010-2020, making the center a key community hub in Paterson.

Imam Qatanani’s Troubled Past and Legal Victories

Imam Mohammad Qatanani, Jordan-born, entered the U.S. in 1996 on a work visa. Israeli forces imprisoned him in 1993, alleging a Hamas confession he disputes. In 1999, he sought permanent residency but omitted the imprisonment on his form. Qatanani spoke at a 2017 Times Square rally, urging a “new intifada” against Trump’s Jerusalem move; he called it peaceful protest, while DHS saw violence. Deportation efforts peaked in 2025, but the Third Circuit Court ruled 2-1 in July that DHS overstepped on his green card. Courts dismissed Israeli evidence as low weight, allowing him to stay.

Sherrill’s choice to engage Qatanani directly tests her prosecutorial judgment. Facts show repeated federal concerns over Hamas links, aligning with conservative priorities on border security and terror threats. Common sense demands leaders vet such venues thoroughly, especially veterans who know the stakes.

Political Fallout Challenges Sherrill’s Moderate Brand

The story broke March 24, 2026, in conservative media like Daily Signal and Washington Free Beacon, framing Sherrill’s visit as hypocritical. Her silence, alongside the mosque’s, fuels uncontested narratives of Democratic national security lapses. Short-term, this energizes opponents questioning her centrist claims. Long-term, it risks her legislative agenda in a state balancing Muslim outreach with Jewish community concerns over anti-Israel rhetoric. Broader tensions pit religious inclusion against terror financing vigilance, a divide conservatives argue Democrats mishandle.