The Aporia · Mamdani hands symbolic 9/11 pen to former lawyer of al-Qaeda terrorist: ‘tone deaf’

Mamdani hands symbolic 9/11 pen to former lawyer of al-Qaeda terrorist: ‘tone deaf’

Read the original at New York Post ↗

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APA MLA Chicago

Fahmy, G., & Spector, D. (2026, September 5). Mamdani hands symbolic 9/11 pen to former lawyer of al-Qaeda terrorist: ‘tone deaf’. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/05/us-news/mamdani-gives-symbolic-9-11-pen-to-former-al-qaeda-lawyer-aide/

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed two executive orders related to the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on September 8, but handed the symbolic pen used for the signing to his chief counsel Ramzi Kassem, who has a history of representing individuals linked to terrorism. Kassem previously defended al-Qaeda operative Ahmed al-Darbi and was present at the press conference, where he received the pen while smirking in a video recording. The move has been criticized as "tone deaf" by some, including Dennis Warchola, whose firefighter brother died in the 9/11 attacks. Kassem is also seen on video receiving the pen about 15 minutes after arriving at the press conference.

Written by AI on 2026-09-05, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Mayor Zohran Mamdani of NYC handed a symbolic pen to his aide Ramzi Kassem, who had previously represented an al-Qaeda terrorist named Ahmed al-Darbi, during a press conference at City Hall on Friday. The ceremony was part of the mayor's efforts to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which included signing two executive orders: one establishing a Day of Remembrance and another increasing security measures against future terror threats. However, the gesture was widely criticized as "tone deaf", with some family members of 9/11 victims expressing outrage that Mamdani would give a pen to someone who had defended an al-Qaeda operative involved in the Pentagon attack. Kassem's involvement in representing al-Darbi has been previously reported, and he was seen smirking on video as he received the symbolic pen from Tisch. The incident sparked heated reactions, with one relative of a 9/11 victim calling it "bulls--t" and questioning how someone who defends terrorists can be honored in such a way.

Written for “Mamdani Hands Symbolic Pen” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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This article reads leans right and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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“Article A describes a specific event at City Hall where Mayor Mamdani hands over a symbolic pen to his aide, while Article B mentions the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks but does not describe any specific event related to it”

How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Uncertain

0 of 17 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Running correction rate · 35 correction(s)

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Topics

9/11 NYC Pentagon a Day of Remembrance al-Qaeda

Subjects

Mamdani PERSON · 5× Tisch PERSON · 4× Kassem PERSON · 3× NYC GPE · 3× Ramzi Kassem PERSON · 3× al-Qaeda ORG · 3× Hizzoner PERSON · 1× Pentagon ORG · 1× Police ORG · 1× Zohran Mamdani PERSON · 1×

Narrative

Administration officials were gathered at City Hall for a pair of executive orders — ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks — one establishing a Day of Remembrance and another beefing up security against future terror threats.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-05

🔮 Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order recognizing 9/11 Friday — and then handed the symbolic pen over to his controversial aide who once represented an al-Qaeda terrorist with links to the attack on the Pentagon.

2026-09-05 · New York Post

Mamdani hands symbolic 9/11 pen to former lawyer of al-Qaeda terrorist: ‘tone deaf’ · assertive framing

Claims (17 extracted, 0 hedged)

Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order recognizing 9/11 Friday — and then handed the symbolic pen over to his controversial aide who once represented an al-Qaeda terrorist with links to the attack on the Pentagon. asserted

who → sign → Pentagon

officials → gather → threats

After Mamdani signed the last of the documents, Hizzoner gave Police Commissioner Jessica Tish the ceremonial pen, and whispered, “Can you pass this?” asserted

you → sign → this

Tisch awkwardly handed it to Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, who just snuck into the press conference, before she hurried out of the Blue Room — the first official to exit the press conference. asserted

she → hand → conference

“It’s bulls–t,” slammed Dennis Warchola, whose brother Michael, a firefighter with Ladder 5, was killed in the North Tower. asserted

Warchola → slam → Tower

“How can you defend a guy like that who wants to do Americans or any innocent person harm?” asserted

who → defend → harm

Kassem, a lawyer who famously represented al-Qaeda operative Ahmed al-Darbi, is seen on video smirking as he receives the symbolic pen. asserted

he → represent → pen

Al-Darbi was sent to Guantánamo Bay after he was convicted of terrorism in the 2002 bombing of a French oil tanker in the Middle East — part of an al Qaeda plot to attack the global oil trade after 9/11. asserted

he → send → 9/11

His sister married Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the 9/11 hijackers of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. asserted

that → marry → Pentagon

The 48-year-old Kassem, who founded a legal clinic at CUNY that offers free legal representation to Muslims, also defended Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia who was detained by ICE. asserted

who → found → ICE

The controversial lawyer and top Mamdani aide wasn’t present during the press conference until the very end, when he snuck in some 15 minutes late — and made a quick exit, right behind Tisch. asserted

he → sneak → Tisch

“It’s a bit tone deaf to be signing this 9/11 Executive Order with your Chief Counsel, Ramzi Kassem, a former al-Qaeda defense lawyer, in the shot,” blasted former Democratic political consultant David Sivella on X. “ asserted

Sivella → ’ → X.

Or was it deliberate on your part to give your Muslim base a hint that this is all BS to pacify other New Yorkers?” asserted

this → give → Yorkers

City Hall did not immediately return The Post’s request for comment. asserted

Hall → return → comment

Mamdani asked Tisch to pass the 9/11 pen to his chief council, Ramzi Kassem, right. asserted

Mamdani → ask → council

Tisch awkwardly handed the symbolic pen to Kassem, who smirked as he received it. asserted

he → hand → it

Mayor Mamdani signed a pair of 9/11 executive orders Friday, one week before the 25th anniversary of the attacks. asserted

Mamdani → sign → attacks