TRENTON, N.J. – Congressional candidate Adam Hamawy, a decorated Army veteran and trauma surgeon, is facing renewed scrutiny over aspects of his past that critics argue warrant closer examination as voters assess his candidacy.
The concerns stem from a series of associations and public statements spanning more than three decades, involving a convicted terrorist cleric, a charity later linked to Al-Qaeda, and a hospital in Gaza that Israeli officials have accused of being used by Hamas.
The most frequently cited concern: Hamawy’s relationship with Omar Abdel-Rahman, the radical Islamist cleric known as the “Blind Sheikh.” Abdel-Rahman was convicted in 1995 for his role in a terrorist conspiracy that included plots targeting New York City landmarks.
Court records show that Hamawy testified as a defense witness during Abdel-Rahman’s trial. Critics have questioned whether Hamawy minimized the cleric’s extremist views during his testimony, while supporters argue that appearing as a witness does not imply support for criminal activities.
Additional questions have arisen from Hamawy’s volunteer work in Bosnia during the 1990s. He served as a physician with the Benevolence International Foundation, a humanitarian organization that was later identified by U.S. authorities as having connections to Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
There is no evidence that Hamawy personally participated in or supported terrorist activity. However, opponents contend that voters deserve a full accounting of his involvement with an organization that was later found to have extremist ties. Hamawy has maintained that his role was strictly humanitarian and that he was unaware of any illicit connections at the time.
More recently, Hamawy’s work as a volunteer surgeon at Gaza’s European Hospital has become a political flashpoint. During his time there, he publicly stated that he did not observe evidence of Hamas operating within the facility.
Israeli forces later announced the discovery of tunnels and command infrastructure connected to Hamas beneath or near the hospital complex, prompting critics to question Hamawy’s earlier assertions. Supporters counter that a physician working in a hospital environment would not necessarily have access to areas allegedly used for military purposes.
The renewed scrutiny on the Democrat physician’s past comes just as Hamawy secured the NJ-12 Democrat nomination on Tuesday, fueling debate over his judgment, associations, and public statements.
“This guy was a defense witness in the 1993 WTC bombing (allegedly with ties to Al-Qaeda),” Florida GOP Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna warned on X. “There is no way he can have a security clearance. National security risk.”
