An American man will soon learn whether he&#8217;s being charged in the recent disappearance of his wife while they were boating in the Bahamas.
Brian Hooker has been in custody in Freeport since Wednesday, when authorities arrested him in relation to his missing wife, Lynette Hooker. Brian claimed that she fell overboard from their small dinghy on April 4 at sunset. Since extending Brian&#8217;s custody an additional 72 hours on Friday, Bahamian officials have a deadline of 7:20 p.m. local time to either release Brian or charge him in connection to his wife&#8217;s disappearance, according to his lawyer, Terel Butler.
From the beginning, Brian has denied any foul play and insisted that Lynette simply fell overboard due to rough seas near Elbow Cay. Elbow Cay is a five-mile long cay in the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, known for its shallow, clear waters where tourists and locals alike drop anchor and spend a day on the water.
&#8220;He definitely denies causing her death, and he still asks about her and is hopeful that she will be recovered,&#8221; Butler said Friday.
Brian reportedly called fellow sailors, Marnee and Blaine Stevenson, a day before his arrest and explained what had happened as the couple headed back on the dinghy to their sailboat, Soulmate.
&#8220;She basically just bounced off the dinghy in the middle of a little blow, like 20-something knot winds that popped up,&#8221; Brian said.
Marnee and Blaine recorded the April 7 phone call with Brian and posted the video on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ICXVVWrgDc">YouTube</a> account. Marnee also shared text messages with CBS from a conversation with Lynette, during which the 55-year-old told Marnee she could not be out on the water with Brian.
&#8220;We were married 21 years. Our marriage lasted 6 weeks cruising,&#8221; Lynette wrote in the texts. &#8220;It was real bad. I can’t be out there with him.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Overboard: Lynette Hooker is Missing" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/86t8y3CshQc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
A flotation device has been recovered and since Lynette disappeared — and according to Lynette&#8217;s mother, Darlene Hamlett, her daughter&#8217;s Apple Watch was recovered — but Lynette still has not been located.
Brian&#8217;s lawyer said authorities are &#8220;close to a decision&#8221; on whether or not to charge Brian with a crime, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/bahamas-authorities-race-deadline-charge-cut-loose-husband-missing-american-woman?intcmp=xpal_truecrime">Fox News</a>.
&#8220;Even if they decided to charge him, it&#8217;s highly unlikely that he would go to court today,&#8221; Butler said. &#8220;So we will know by 7:20 p.m. today what their decision will be &#8230; It is possible that when a person has completed their time, that when they walk out, they can be re-arrested and time starts again.&#8221;
Butler said her client is &#8220;drained&#8221; from the interrogations and that he is &#8220;just hoping to have closure to be released so that he can continue to search to find out what has happened to his wife.&#8221;
Lynette&#8217;s mom joined the &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el7hVYiIy-U">Drop Dead Serious</a>&#8221; podcast, describing in detail how her daughter was repeatedly abused by Brian over their more than 20-year marriage.
&#8220;He has two sides to his personality, he can be very pleasurable, pleasant and he can be very vicious,&#8221; Hamlett said. &#8220;He threw her down on this bench &#8230; the boat has a little bench where you sit around the table in the galley. She landed on that, he was on top of her, he was choking her, and she felt something crack in her neck. She was so stiff-necked for a long time. I don&#8217;t know how or why, but she stayed on the boat that night &#8230; one of the conversations that they had while they were on the boat the next morning is he told her that he wished he had finished the job and thrown her overboard.&#8221;
Stories like the one Hamlett shared are why she, along with her granddaughter, Kylie Aylesworth, wanted a thorough investigation into Lynette&#8217;s disappearance.
Lynette has reportedly left Brian several times during their marriage and often documented the abuse with photos to help her not go back to him, according to Hamlett. Her daughter would often come stay with her in Florida when things with Brian were tumultuous, and every time Lynette returned to the Bahamas Hamlett said she believed it could be the last time she saw her daughter.
The 76-year-old said she doesn&#8217;t want to talk to Brian, but if she could talk to Lynette she would tell her daughter this: &#8220;I love you, and I wish you would have come home.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the United States Coast Guard, who is looking into the incident, and officials with the Coast Guard told us &#8220;we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.&#8221;

Credit: Lynette Hooker via Facebook

American Husband’s ‘Fell Overboard’ Story Hits Deadline As Texts And Recovered Apple Watch Surface

Bahamas

Crime

Michigan

News

Sunday marked Easter and the day before the 2026 College Basketball National Championship game where the UConn Huskies are taking on the No. 1 seeded Michigan Wolverines. Huskies head coach Dan Hurley spent his Sunday in that order —  observing Easter came first, then it was time to game plan.
&#8220;Once I got out of Mass this morning, now it&#8217;s preparing for Michigan,&#8221; Hurley said Sunday.
The two-time national champion is getting UConn ready for their third title game in four years. A dynasty in the works. Though Hurley leans on his faith to get through the grueling college basketball season, he&#8217;s not praying for a positive outcome on the court.
&#8220;I’m praying for strength, for all the people that I’ve lost, and I pray to God for wisdom,&#8221; Hurley told <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/interview/dan-hurley-uconn-basketball-faith-and-family#:~:text=Hurley%20says%20that%20he%20models%20his%20faith,meditation%20practices%20with%20his%20players%20*%20Journaling">National Catholic Register</a> after his second championship. &#8220;And I do ask that we could be at our best. But I don’t ask to win the game. I ask for everyone to be at their best.&#8221;
Psalm 23 is what Hurley says he prays every day.
&#8220;The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name&#8217;s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever,&#8221; the passage states.
&#8220;I pray every morning because maybe of the line of work I’m in: the stress level and intensity of it. I’m an intense person, and that really resonates to me,&#8221; Hurley said. &#8220;I also like the Proverbs, the Our Father, Hail Mary and the &#8216;Serenity Prayer.'&#8221;
He&#8217;s a man who sticks to his routine, especially on game day. Monday, he will know nothing more or less than he does for every game day as he sets his eyes on a third title, and sixth overall, for Connecticut.
UConn is the underdog, but Hurley said his team is ready to take on a &#8220;dominant&#8221; Michigan team, adding that sometimes, the best team doesn&#8217;t cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA Tournament.
&#8220;You’ve just got to be better for one night, and obviously for us, we need to play the game a certain type of way where we obviously can’t get into a certain type of game with Michigan. They’re an incredibly dominant team,&#8221; Hurley said.
&#8220;There are no holes in their attack, they&#8217;re an elite defensive team, they&#8217;re an elite offensive team. They crush the glass.&#8221;
Michigan head coach Dusty May gave credit to Hurley and his team&#8217;s ability to fight till the end.
&#8220;They take what the games give them, they ride a hot hand &#8230; so there&#8217;s just a number of challenges,&#8221; May said. &#8220;You can&#8217;t go into this game saying if you do this, we are going to win &#8230; even if we do that well, they&#8217;re going to pivot, and we are going to have to find a way to counter that pivot.&#8221;
UConn and Michigan tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET.

Credit: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

UConn Coach Dan Hurley Went To Mass On Sunday — But He Didn’t Pray To Win The National Championship

College basketball

General

NCAA

Sports

U.S.

UCONN

The man who targeted the largest Jewish Reform synagogue in Michigan earlier this month was directed by Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah and had watched footage of an Iranian fatwa for &#8220;total jihad against the U.S. military&#8221; shortly before carrying out his attack, the Department of Justice said on Monday.
Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanese national, purposefully targeted the Jewish community when he drove his vehicle into Michigan&#8217;s largest synagogue and opened fire on March 12. The Department of Justice said at a press conference on Monday that Ghazali was directed by Hezbollah, which was confirmed by an investigation into his electronic devices and online activity.
&#8220;This man acted under Hezbollah&#8217;s direction and control,&#8221; said Jerome Gorgon, Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. &#8220;I&#8217;ve seen some odd attempts to explain away or even lessen this terrorist attack by claiming that he was an isolated lone wolf, but that is misleading. Terrorist propaganda is designed to activate the so-called lone wolf to act on behalf of the terrorist organization, and it makes no legal difference if the current leader of Hezbollah himself, Naim Qassem, called this man and told him to attack Temple Israel, or whether he simply heeded Hezbollah&#8217;s call to kill Jews, and in his words, &#8216;burn there world.'&#8221;
Ghazali was killed after exchanging gunfire with security guards at Temple Israel. If Ghazali had survived, Gorgon said he is confident a jury would convict the terrorist of providing material support to Hezbollah.
The FBI said that Ghazali drove his through the doors of Temple Israel &#8220;at a high rate of speed&#8221; and continued 200 feet down the hallway before he appeared to set off fireworks that were inside his vehicle. A photo shared by the FBI at the press conference show the attacker&#8217;s vehicle come to stop just a few feet from a baby stroller. Temple Israel houses a daycare and dozens of small children were present when Ghazali carried out his attack.
<div id="attachment_1069035" style="width: 701px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1069035" class="wp-image-1069035 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-30T160055.242-691x576.jpg" alt="" width="691" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-30T160055.242-691x576.jpg 691w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-30T160055.242-300x250.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-30T160055.242-768x640.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Untitled-design-2026-03-30T160055.242.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px" />FBI</div>
&#8220;This evidence shows that the attacker meant to cause a significant amount of harm to the members and the children of Temple Israel,&#8221; FBI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan said.
One of the security guards was injured after he was struck by Ghazli&#8217;s vehicle, but no one else was harmed in the attack.
While the terrorist sat in his vehicle in the parking lot of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, before carrying out his attack, he sent numerous videos and posts to his sister in Lebanon that the FBI said reaffirmed his commitment to carry out a terrorist attack on behalf of Hezbollah. Some of the posts referenced martyrdom and his desire to carry out an attack on &#8220;the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan.&#8221; One of the posts Ghazali sent to his sister stated that &#8220;jihad is the gateway to heaven.&#8221;
Ghazali also mentioned his family members who were recently killed in an Israeli strike on Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to the Israel Defense Forces, Ghazali&#8217;s brother was a Hezbollah commander, and President Donald Trump&#8217;s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/2034278249958940838">confirmed</a> earlier this month that the synagogue attacker had &#8220;familial ties to a Hezbollah leader.&#8221;
The FBI said on Monday that even before some of Ghazali&#8217;s family members were killed in Lebanon, he was consuming Hezbollah propaganda. The attacker had searched pro-Hezbollah content online since January of this year, including following breaking news and statements from Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem. Ghazali also recently watched an Iranian fatwa for &#8220;total jihad against the U.S. military,&#8221; according to Runyan.
On March 9, three days before he attacked Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Ghazali began viewing websites of synagogues in his area. Ghazali worked and lived in Dearborn, a majority-Muslim city in Michigan. Later on March 9, the terrorist attempted to purchase weapons from two different people, but they eventually turned him down. Ghazali then went to a gun store in Dearborn Heights, where he purchased an AR-style rifle, 10 magazines, and around 300 rounds of ammunition.
&#8220;Throughout the night of March 9, the assailant began visiting numerous different web pages of Jewish cultural, educational, and religious centers all throughout the Detroit-metro area,&#8221; Runyan said. &#8220;And even viewed multiple pages of upcoming events at Temple Israel.&#8221;
Over the next few days, Ghazali searched online for &#8220;the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan,&#8221; &#8220;orthodox synagogues,&#8221; &#8220;Israelis near me,&#8221; and &#8220;what time is the Trump rally in Michigan.&#8221; The FBI said that the terrorist tried to delete his online searches, but authorities &#8220;were able to recover them.&#8221;
Ghazali went to a gun range to practice firing with his new weapon two days before the shooting and purchased around $2,200 worth of fireworks from a local vendor.

US-SHOOTING-SYNAGOGUE-MICHIGAN

Michigan Synagogue Terrorist Attack Was Directed By Hezbollah, DOJ Says

Terrorism

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is facing scrutiny after audio surfaced of him telling staff he wanted to avoid commenting on the killing of Iran&#8217;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because &#8220;a lot&#8221; of constituents in the majority-Muslim city of Dearborn, Michigan, would be upset.
The comments from El-Sayed, a leftist Muslim running for the open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, were published Monday by the <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/there-are-a-lot-of-people-in-dearborn-who-are-sad-democratic-senate-hopeful-abdul-el-sayed-said-he-needed-to-stay-silent-on-khamenei-killing-because-many-of-michigans-muslim-voters/">Washington Free Beacon</a>. During a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWasygt04SU">call</a> with his communications team on March 1, just one day after President Donald Trump launched &#8220;Operation Epic Fury,&#8221; El-Sayed laid out his strategy for addressing the conflict.
&#8220;I also want to remind you guys that there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad today. So, like, I just don&#8217;t want to comment on Khamenei at all. Like, I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s worth even touching that,&#8221; El-Sayed said.
Michigan holds one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the United States, with the vast majority residing in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit. Dearborn became the first majority-Muslim city in the United States in 2023. The city recently drew national attention after a resident rammed his vehicle into a synagogue and was killed in a shootout, reportedly after Israeli strikes killed members of his family.
In the conversation, El-Sayed acknowledged that Khamenei was a &#8220;bad man&#8221; but condemned the U.S. strike.
&#8220;The fact that he was a bad man does not justify our breaking of international law and unilateral action outside of wartime,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is a bigger question about the United States&#8217; responsibility to international law, and we have been breaking it wantonly.&#8221;
In a mock unfriendly interview, one of El-Sayed&#8217;s staffers asked him if he believes the United States is &#8220;authorized to pursue further action&#8221; after Iran launched missile attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East. In response, the leftist Democrat painted the United States and Israel as the aggressors.
&#8220;Don&#8217;t forget what started this,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The United States and Israel attacked first. So now, you have another country retaliating in what you would expect them to do when they&#8217;re attacked. And now we&#8217;re going to back-justify the thing that we did to start the war in the first place?&#8221;
At another point in the call, El-Sayed also floated a strategy to avoid addressing the Iran war directly if he was asked by reporters to comment on the issue.
&#8220;I&#8217;m just going to go straight to pedophilia, frankly. I&#8217;ll just be like, &#8216;Pedophile president decides that he doesn&#8217;t like the front page news, so he decides to take us into another war,'&#8221; he added.
While prepping his response to the Iran war, El-Sayed also shifted his focus to criticizing Israel.
&#8220;Frankly, this [war] doesn&#8217;t actually benefit the United States. You know who it benefits? It benefits Israel, who has captured too many of our politicians through AIPAC contributions,&#8221; he said.
The Daily Wire reached out to El-Sayed&#8217;s campaign, seeking comment.
El-Sayed&#8217;s legal team told the Free Beacon that the audio from the internal staff meeting &#8220;was obtained without the campaign&#8217;s permission, and without knowledge that individuals were being recorded.&#8221; David Mitrani, of the Sandler Reiff law firm, added, &#8220;The campaign is considering its legal options against the individual in question,&#8221; according to the Free Beacon.
El-Sayed is in a tight race with two other Democrats for the 2026 Senate nomination and has positioned himself as the most progressive choice for Democrats in the primary. El-Sayed boasts endorsements from democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and is advocating for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished.
During his 2026 Senate campaign, El-Sayed has been in hot water over comments he has made on Israel. Last October, the Democrat sent a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-candidate-accuses-israel-of-invading-gaza-in-oct-7-fundraising-email">fundraising email</a> on the two-year anniversary of Hamas&#8217; brutal terrorist attack on Israel, but the email made no mention of Hamas’ atrocities and blamed Israel for launching &#8220;a ground invasion of Gaza.&#8221;
In an interview with The Daily Wire earlier this year, El-Sayed said the email that went out on the anniversary of the October 7 attack was supposed to be sent on a different day, but he added that he still supported the main message of the email.
“It went out, and I very quickly reached out to leaders in the Jewish community to apologize for having stepped on their grief,” he said, adding, “The message in the email is something I stand by.”
El-Sayed also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-voters-dont-let-radicals-fool-you-into-thinking-theyre-normal">plans to campaign</a> alongside Left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who has praised terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and once said that &#8220;America deserved 9/11.&#8221;

Abdul El-Sayed/Dearborn

Sad Michigan Muslims Drove Dem Senate Hopeful To Silence On Khamenei

Ali Khameini

Iran

Muslims

Thanks to a loophole in federal law, cash from foreign nationals could make the difference in a battle over Michigan election security. 
Earlier this month, the group Citizens Only Voting turned in 750,000 signatures to place a citizen-only voting proposal on the 2026 ballot in Michigan. Leftist groups that have taken millions in foreign-linked money have already come out swinging against the proposal, suggesting they will mount a stiff campaign against the election integrity measure. 
Those groups include Promote the Vote and Voters Not Politicians, groups that have been funded by dark money group Sixteen Thirty Fund during previous election-related campaigns. The Sixteen Thirty Fund has received a whopping $305 million from the Berger Action Fund, <a href="https://americansforpublictrust.org/reports/hansjorg-wyss-berger-action-fund-totals-2009-2024/">according</a> to Americans for Public Trust. The Berger Action Fund is tied to Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, who has dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into influencing American politics. 
“It would be incredibly ironic if it remains possible in Michigan for groups to spend foreign-tied money to try to defeat a ballot measure to prevent non-citizens from voting in Michigan elections,” Honest Elections Project Executive Director Jason Snead told The Daily Wire.
Of all the foreign-linked money the Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent on ballot initiatives, the most has been spent in Michigan. This spending has topped $34.5 million since 2014, <a href="https://americansforpublictrust.org/reports/sixteen-thirty-fund-cumulative-spending-on-ballot-issue-campaigns/">according</a> to Americans For Public Trust. 
Promote the Vote reportedly <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Proposal_2%2C_Voting_Policies_in_Constitution_Amendment_%282022%29">took</a> over $11 million from the Sixteen Thirty Fund in 2022 to successfully push a ballot initiative critics said effectively banned voting requirements for photo ID by giving broad ability for people to just sign affidavits instead of presenting IDs. Snead said this made photo ID optional rather than required and would prevent localities from demanding proof of identity. 
Earlier this month, Promote the Vote Action <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/04/citizens-only-voting-ballot-group-to-turn-in-750k-signatures-to-state-well-ahead-of-deadline/">told</a> local outlet Michigan Advance that it would oppose efforts to require proof of citizenship to vote. Michael Davis, Jr., the group&#8217;s executive director, told the outlet that the citizen-only requirement will &#8220;make it more difficult for all of us to register and vote, resulting in the disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of eligible American citizens across the state. It’s voter suppression, pure and simple, and we’re confident Michigan voters will see this effort for what it really is.”
Voters Not Politicians, the other group that released a statement opposing the citizen-only ballot initiative, has also taken millions in foreign-tied money from the Sixteen Thirty Fund. In 2018, it <a href="https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/republican-bill-would-shield-donors-dark-money-groups-michigan">took</a> over $5 million from Sixteen Thirty to promote a ballot initiative that took away redistricting power from state legislators and transferred it to a supposedly bipartisan commission. 
Regarding the Michigan ballot initiative, Voters Not Politicians Executive Director Christy McGillivray said, “F**k this sh*t, actually.”
While her group has been supported by a billionaire-backed dark money organization, McGillivray attacked Citizens Only Voting for having wealthy supporters. 
“A billionaire from Illinois has bankrolled this entire campaign with the only goal to trick Michiganders into throwing away their own political power,” she said. “This ballot initiative is part of a wider national power grab by wealthy political elites who are trying to take power away from the people by blocking them from voting.”
Americans For Public Trust executive director Caitlin Sutherland said that the foreign influence loophole is “a huge threat to the state of Michigan.”
“We&#8217;re eager to work with legislative leaders to shut off foreign funding in state ballot issues across the country, and especially in Michigan,” she said. 
Advocates of the proposal say it would safeguard Michigan elections. Last year, a Chinese student in Michigan was charged with illegally voting in the 2024 election by the Justice Department. Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the vote would count because it could not be taken out of the system even though it was illegally cast. 
“This is really to cement and restore the public’s confidence and trust in elections. It is not a high threshold,” <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/04/citizens-only-voting-ballot-group-to-turn-in-750k-signatures-to-state-well-ahead-of-deadline/">said</a> state Rep. Ann Bollin. “This is something I am sorry that I actually have to be here to say, that we need a constitutional amendment to do this.”
A bipartisan bill to ban foreign funding of ballot initiatives easily <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/06/michigan-house-votes-to-ban-foreign-cash-in-ballot-campaigns-election-administration/88534044007/">passed</a> the Michigan House earlier this year but has currently stalled out in the Democrat-controlled Senate. 
“Are they really interested in keeping Michigan exposed to foreign spending and foreign influence, especially with a ballot measure coming up in November on an issue as crucial as trying to prevent non-citizens from voting in our elections?” Snead asked.
At least nine states have <a href="https://americansforpublictrust.org/stop-foreign-funding/">passed</a> laws to ban foreign funding for ballot initiatives with support from the Honest Elections Project and Americans for Public Trust.

US Elections Vote

Foreign Money Could Pave The Way For Non-Citizen Voting In Key Swing State

Ballot Measures

election integrity

Elections

This piece is part of MI x DW, a collaboration that brings Daily Wire readers exclusive commentary and research from the Manhattan Institute’s world-class team of scholars.
In this piece, Manhattan Institute Vice President of External Affairs Jesse Arm warns Michigan voters not to trust a rising generation of radical lawmakers masquerading as traditional Democrats — most especially &#8220;far-left podcaster-physician Abdul El-Sayed.&#8221;
***
Michigan&#8217;s U.S. Senate race is viewed as one of the most consequential and contentious elections of the 2026 cycle. The three-way Democratic primary contest to replace retiring incumbent Gary Peters — between moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens, progressive state senator Mallory McMorrow, and far-left podcaster-physician Abdul El-Sayed — has emerged as a proxy war over the soul of the Democratic Party. As Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/01/michigan-senate-mcmorrow-stevens-el-sayed-00758408">noted</a> last month, the race is a &#8220;catch-all for every question and problem plaguing Democrats politically and tactically.&#8221; Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats to win a Senate majority. Michigan is not optional.
But two weeks ago, the national spotlight on the Great Lakes state got a little brighter. Ayman Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon living in Dearborn Heights, collected arms and drove an explosive-laden truck into the preschool at Temple Israel in my hometown of <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/temple-israel-west-bloomfield-michigan-synagogue-shooting-attack">West Bloomfield</a> — the nation&#8217;s largest Reform synagogue in the heart of Michigan&#8217;s Jewish community. By some miracle, security guards engaged him and stopped the violent rampage before he could kill the nearly 140 children and their caretakers inside.
The attack was an act of Islamic terrorism, possibly carried out as revenge for a conflict between combatants on the other side of the globe. Ghazali’s brother was a commander in the Hezbollah terrorist organization, killed in a recent Israel Defense Forces airstrike. But Ghazali’s desire to sow terror could’ve also been incubated in Michigan. He lived next to “<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/welcome-to-dearborn-americas-jihad-capital-pro-hamas-michigan-counterterrorism-a99dba38?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqeUTMNFjSRKEfwkYQ0IjPbfnp66S4OqNvk1IFXeBo3o5BCIKVDFzY0uvS1V54k=&amp;gaa_ts=69b39d4b&amp;gaa_sig=bX6tBUfC_GFHlVuLaQyJG3NhliIh5ORaMzQfDJqHkUzN9aDIqrza94PpOtdWtvInqzoQmCbcVWGKkEYS3tNfQw==">America’s jihad capital</a>,” a community where, in the days after October 7th, 2023, thousands marched through the streets celebrating Hamas&#8217;s slaughter of more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children — including 46 Americans.
In the week following the West Bloomfield attack, one might expect a Michigan Senate candidate to take pains to lower the temperature. El-Sayed chose differently. Six days after the near-massacre at Temple Israel, he <a href="https://x.com/AbdulElSayed/status/2034360293116067859">posted</a> a smiling photo of himself appealing to fans of Hasan Piker. Shortly thereafter, his campaign <a href="https://x.com/AbdulElSayed/status/2036431020233293934">announced</a> joint appearances with Piker at rallies on the trail.
For those unfamiliar: Piker is a <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/the-handsome-face-of-terror-apologia">Twitch streamer</a> and self-described <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/democrats-are-too-cozy-with-hasan-piker-2ecee4cc?st=R2ZQfB&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink">Marxist</a> with three million followers who has built his brand on antisemitism, terror apologia, misogyny, and anti-Americanism. He has called Jews &#8220;inbred&#8221; and declared that property owners who don&#8217;t rent out their homes should be <a href="https://x.com/Rightanglenews/status/1966264506486853810">killed</a> while letting &#8220;the streets soak in their red capitalist blood.&#8221; He has compared supporters of Israel&#8217;s existence to being a &#8220;rabid neo-Nazi&#8221; and <a href="https://freebeacon.com/media/from-defending-rape-to-excusing-9-11-10-statements-that-define-mainstream-media-darling-hasan-piker/">said</a> he doesn&#8217;t “have an issue with” the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. He has offered justifications for Hamas&#8217;s October 7th massacre and stated that &#8220;it doesn&#8217;t matter if rapes happened on October 7th.&#8221; He has claimed &#8220;America deserved 9/11,&#8221; praised the Chinese Communist Party, and gleefully shared Houthi terrorist recruitment videos with his audience.
El-Sayed is only a slightly more polished version of the <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/michigan-senate-candidate-abdul-el-sayed-compared-an-oklahoma-ban-on-sharia-law-to-the-trail-of-tears/">same thing</a>. He has appeared at Islamist conferences alongside speakers who praised the October 7th attackers. He has raised money from an Arab-American PAC whose leader called for Israeli Jews to be sent &#8220;back to Poland.&#8221; And while speaking before a chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations — which has been designated a terrorist organization by both <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1998156452377293228">Florida</a> and <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-designates-muslim-brotherhood-cair-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations">Texas</a> — he once compared an Oklahoma ballot measure restricting the application of Sharia law to the Trail of Tears.
<h3 dir="ltr"><a href="https://manhattan.institute/subscribe?utm_source=DailyWire&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=reihan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here for more Manhattan Institute content.</a></h3>
What makes much of this increasingly normalized radicalism especially maddening is how unrepresentative it all is, even of most Democratic voters. The median Michigander who tends to vote Democrat is not any sort of Hasan Piker acolyte. New Manhattan Institute <a href="https://manhattan.institute/article/do-democrats-want-to-be-normal-survey-analysis-of-todays-democratic-coalition">polling</a> of nearly 2,600 Democratic voters found that most Democrats affirm Israel&#8217;s right to exist, that a plurality want their party to move toward the ideological center, and that an overwhelming majority believe political violence is never justified. The faction demanding maximalist anti-Western positioning as the price of progressive authenticity represents a small, loud, hyper-online minority.
So why does the radical left seem to continue gaining traction? As I’ve written previously in <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/democrats-party-voters-manhattan-institute-poll">City Journal</a>, the answer lies in examining who controls the actual machinery of Democratic politics. Over the past two decades, a network of progressive advocacy groups, ideological nonprofits, activist donors, and aligned unions has accumulated enormous influence over candidate recruitment, messaging, and policy prioritization. In election cycles without a presidential contest and thus lower voter turnout, that influence is magnified. Hit the right notes on all the crazy woke stuff, and the George Soros-types will make it worth your while. If not, it will go to your primary challenger. Many of these entities are deploying resources to achieve total ideological fealty to their extreme ideas, rather than to help Democrats win elections. After all, were ideological moderation to prove consistently successful at the ballot box, it would be economically threatening to the progressive groups&#8217; ecosystem itself.
Look at El-Sayed’s relationship with the Pod Save America network. Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Ben Rhodes — the former Obama aides turned podcast hosts — organized a <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/former-obama-speechwriters-to-fundraise-for-progressive-dem-senate-candidate-abdul-el-sayed/">fundraiser</a> for El-Sayed. Rhodes, notably, earned the <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/12/05/huckleberry-capone-turd-blossom-white-house-nicknames-523723">nickname</a> &#8220;Hamas&#8221; during his White House years, bestowed by senior White House staffers for his relentlessly hostile stance toward Israel even then. That same crew has now attached itself to El-Sayed&#8217;s campaign as part of a broader attempt to nationalize the lesson they took from Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s mayoral victory in New York City: that the path forward for Democrats is to move left, not toward the center.
Mamdani won a Democratic primary in one of the bluest cities in America, under highly unique circumstances and against a uniquely unpalatable field. Attempting to run that same play in a dark purple Midwestern state and expecting the same result is what you do if you are chiefly focused on advancing a radical agenda and only secondarily on optimizing for victory. But all that won&#8217;t stop a large group of well-paid consultants coasting on Mamdani’s win from trying to sell that blueprint everywhere. And it won&#8217;t stop left-wing donors eager to believe it from buying it.
Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/michigan-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html">polling</a> is clear. Stevens held an early lead in the primary. While the race has tightened considerably, she has consistently posted the strongest numbers against expected Republican nominee Mike Rogers — a former longtime congressman and well-known Michigan political figure who has run statewide before — in every publicly available general election survey to date.
Republican voters tempted to root for El-Sayed’s nomination — or operatives considering meddling on his behalf, as Democrats <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-democratic-group-meddles-michigan-republican-congressional-primary">did</a> in Michigan&#8217;s 3rd Congressional District Republican primary in 2022 when the DCCC spent big bucks boosting election-denier John Gibbs against moderate GOP incumbent Peter Meijer — should think carefully. Democrats successfully flipped that seat after helping Gibbs win his primary. But primary meddling remains a highly risky and unreliable instrument, especially in an election cycle where the fundamentals do favor the Democrats. In this case, the downside risk is particularly severe: Abdul El-Sayed in the United States Senate.
We already have a pair of bigoted, America-hostile Islamic terror sympathizers in the House in Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. That is two too many. Patriotic Americans of all political persuasions should be unified in their desire to ensure that a third does not join them in the Senate — especially in the weeks following the resurgence of jihadist violence, not just in Michigan, but in <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/03/12/shooting-old-dominion-university">Virginia</a>, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/suspect-in-texas-bar-shooting-wore-property-of-allah-clothing-and-iranian-flag-emblem-according-to-ap-source">Texas</a>, and <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/two-isis-supporters-charged-attempting-detonate-explosive-devices-during-protests-outside">New York</a> as well.
***
Jesse Arm is the vice president of external affairs at the Manhattan Institute, where he oversees communications, government relations, and polling.

Abdul El-Sayed Campaigns for U.S. Senate Seat

Michigan Voters, Don’t Let Radicals Fool You Into Thinking They’re Normal

Democratic Party

Islam

Senate

A Michigan father has filed a federal lawsuit against the Grosse Pointe Public School System, alleging the district launched a campaign of &#8220;constitutional retaliation&#8221; after he publicly objected to the display of rainbow and transgender flags inside his child’s middle school.
The <a href="https://www.michigannewssource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/complaint.pdf">complaint</a>, filed on behalf of Gary Shane Pruitt, argues the district violated his First Amendment rights by issuing a &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order barring him from school property. According to the lawsuit, the dispute began in September 2024 when Pruitt attended a back-to-school night at Parcells Middle School and noticed a proliferation of Pride flags.
When he raised concerns with school officials, the complaint alleges he was met with dismissive shrugs. It also cites a comment attributed to school board member Valerie St. John: “If you are concerned that your child is seeing the colors of the rainbow, I would suggest sending them with tinted sunglasses so they aren’t subjected to the full spectrum.”
Pruitt later returned to the school after hours, which the lawsuit claims was done with permission, and recorded video of the displays. He posted the footage to a parent Facebook group with verbal commentary criticizing the flags as &#8220;radical programming&#8221; and a &#8220;display of sexuality&#8221; pushed by &#8220;groomer teachers,” as <a href="https://www.michigannewssource.com/2026/03/exclusive-michigan-dad-heading-to-federal-court-after-middle-school-bans-him-for-objecting-to-rainbow-and-trans-flags/?utm_source=home-headline">Michigan News Source</a> reported.
In an email to parents, Principal Jason Wesley said the video contained &#8220;no threatening content&#8221; and was &#8220;political in nature.&#8221;
The lawsuit alleged the district took several actions in response: ’
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Increasing police presence at the school, a move Pruitt’s attorneys say falsely painted him as a physical threat.</li>
<li>Issuing a &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order barring him from school grounds, with potential criminal penalties for violations.</li>
<li>Displaying a photograph of Pruitt in the school office branding him a &#8220;trespasser,&#8221; which his legal team has described as an attempt to &#8220;publicly shame&#8221; him.</li>
</ul>
The lawsuit pulls no punches. It levels claims of First Amendment retaliation, defamation, and violations of the Michigan Constitution. It argues the district&#8217;s actions were not driven by safety concerns but by disagreement with Pruitt&#8217;s views.
The heart of the legal battle centers on whether a public school district can restrict a parent&#8217;s access to school property based on speech made off campus. The complaint emphasized that Pruitt&#8217;s video was recorded after school hours with permission from administrators, and the commentary was posted on a private Facebook page—not delivered during a school function.
&#8220;The chilling effect that would result if parents can be banned from school property for merely criticizing the school or its board is self-evident,&#8221; the filing states. &#8220;It is not hard to imagine all of the abuses of power that could be committed by the state if public schools are permitted to punish any speech by any parent, at any time, on any device, and at any location, so long as the school found the speech to be &#8216;offensive.'&#8221;
The lawsuit also alleges the situation has affected Pruitt&#8217;s child, claiming the student has been &#8220;stigmatized, ridiculed, and harassed&#8221; by peers following the district&#8217;s actions.
Despite Pruitt’s attempt to resolve the matter quietly in early 2026, the district reportedly refused to budge, leaving the &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order in full effect. Now, Pruitt is asking a federal judge to step in, seeking an immediate rescission of the order, the removal of his photo from the office, and compensatory damages for the violation of his rights.

Brighton Beach Pride march in Brooklyn, New York City

Dad Doesn’t Go Quietly After School District Bans Him Over Pride Flag Showdown

Lawsuit

LGBT

Middle School

Newly released photos show the extent of destruction inside Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, following last week&#8217;s Hezbollah-linked terrorist attack.
Images obtained by The Daily Wire and released by the synagogue capture a burned-out truck lodged at the end of a hallway, debris scattered across the floor, and sprinkler water pooling around a child’s red tricycle.
The attack occurred last Thursday when 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel and opened fire before committing suicide when confronted by security. Authorities say the vehicle ignited after the crash, causing extensive damage and <a href="https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/a-truck-rammed-a-michigan-synagogue-with-more-than-a-hundred-children-inside-here-s/article_c50e2347-3b5f-552e-bcb6-c2f58785a54f.html">resulting in</a> 63 first responders needing treatment for smoke inhalation. 
The attack took place while the synagogue’s preschool was in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mentally-unstable-ex-wife-warned-police-within-minutes-of-temple-israel-terrorist-attack?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Mentally+Unstable%E2%80%99%3A+Ex-Wife+Warned+Police+Within+Minutes+Of+Temple+Israel+Terrorist+Attack">session</a>, but all 140 children and staff were safely evacuated without injury.
<div id="attachment_1063135" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063135" class="size-large wp-image-1063135" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-1024x576.png" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan)</div>
Large quantities of fireworks and gasoline containers that were ignited were recovered from his truck.
Additional images show charred hallways, broken glass, burnt photos, and destroyed ceilings. One preschool classroom appears frozen in time, with snacks still laid out on tables, underscoring how suddenly the attack unfolded while young children were inside.
In a statement, the synagogue said it chose to release the photos to “take back control of our narrative.”
<div id="attachment_1063139" style="width: 886px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063139" class="size-large wp-image-1063139" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-876x576.jpg" alt="" width="876" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-876x576.jpg 876w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-768x505.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-1536x1010.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n.jpg 1770w" sizes=" (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px" />(Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan)</div>
“We have chosen thus far not to make public photos of the devastation of our building,” the synagogue said. “This week, several videos and photos have made their way into the media, which have caused considerable harm to the survivors of last week&#8217;s attack.”
It added that its “community deserves to see our building through eyes of love, not through the lens of spectacle.”
“This is our sacred space, and we will be the ones to tell its story,” Temple Israel said.
According to the Israel Defense Forces and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Ghazali had family members in Lebanon connected to the U.S.-designated terror group Hezbollah. 
Ghazali, a naturalized American citizen originally from Lebanon, was reportedly described as “mentally unstable” by his ex-wife. She said he had been distressed following the deaths of family members in an Israeli airstrike.

Temple Israel

New Photos Reveal Devastation Inside Michigan Synagogue After Hezbollah-Linked Terror Attack

Anti-Semitism

Hezbollah

A pro-life group challenged a Detroit ordinance creating a speech buffer zone around abortion facilities, arguing that the city’s policy violates the First Amendment.
The group Sidewalk Advocates for Life sued Detroit in federal court on Wednesday over an ordinance it passed instituting a 15 foot buffer zone around all abortion facilities where pro-life advocates cannot enter. The ordinance also creates an eight foot floating buffer within 100 feet of an abortion facility for any client.
“The Ordinance, which is enforceable through criminal penalties, violates the Free Speech, Free Exercise, and Freedom of Assembly Clauses of the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as well as the Michigan Constitution,” said the <a href="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63d954d4e4ad424df7819d46/69bb229374c5d96c3dd7e4c6_DE%201-Complaint_SAFL%20v%20City%20of%20Detroit.pdf">lawsuit</a>, which was filed by the Thomas More Society.
Kevin Hammer, a member of Sidewalk Advocates, said that the ordinance bans him from handing out pro-life literature while holding a sign reading “Ask Me About Free Ultrasounds and Pregnancy Tests” outside of the Scotsdale Women’s Center in Detroit, Michigan.
“Our Sidewalk Advocates stand on public sidewalks offering a gentle word and information to women who are willing to receive it—that is what this ordinance criminalizes,” said Lauren Muzyka, the president and CEO of Sidewalk Advocates for Life.
The suit points out that a recent <a href="https://adflegal.org/case/brown-v-city-pittsburgh/">decision</a> from the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a similar ordinance implemented by Pittsburgh. The court said that the buffer zone ordinance was overly burdensome on free speech.
Detroit’s ordinance was passed in 2024 and <a href="https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/10649/1365639/pdf">says</a> that “no person, within a 100-foot radius of any entrance door to a healthcare facility, shall knowingly approach within eight feet of another person for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education or counseling with such other person in the public right-of-way unless such other person consents.”
The suit says that this stipulation substantially burdens speech and does not serve a compelling government interest.
“This ordinance does not protect anyone,” said Thomas More Society head of litigation Peter Breen. “It makes it a crime to stand on a public sidewalk and offer a woman a choice. The government cannot wall off the public square so that women never hear they have alternatives to abortion.”

Supreme Court Issues Last Rulings Of Its Term

The Fight Over Free Speech Heats Up. Women In Crisis Could Pay The Price.

Abortion

Courts

Detroit

First Amendment

Pro-Life Movement

A violent synagogue terror attack in Michigan is taking on an even darker dimension after new intelligence revealed a chilling connection: the attacker’s brother was a Hezbollah terrorist commander responsible for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
According to the official Israel Defense Forces social media account, Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad Ghazali oversaw weapons operations inside the group’s Badr Unit, a branch responsible for launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilian areas during the war.
His brother, Ayman Muhammad Ghazali, carried out the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-respond-to-reports-of-active-shooter-as-michigan-synagogue-goes-up-in-smoke">terror attack </a>in Michigan on Thursday, where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-trained-michigan-temple-how-to-stop-a-shooter-just-weeks-before-attack">armed synagogue security guards </a>exchanged gunfire with him during the confrontation. His body was later found burned inside the vehicle he rammed into the building.
Israeli forces reportedly eliminated Ibrahim Ghazali in an Israeli Air Force strike on a Hezbollah military structure, just days before the synagogue attack unfolded in the United States.
The newly revealed family connection is now prompting investigators to take a closer look at whether the Michigan attacker had deeper ties to the Iran-backed terror group.
Hezbollah is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization. The group has spent decades building global networks while carrying out attacks against Israeli and Western targets.
Authorities have not yet said whether the terrorist had direct operational ties to Hezbollah or whether the attack was carried out independently. But the discovery that his brother served as a weapons commander inside the group is likely to intensify scrutiny around the case.
The disturbing link comes as Operation Epic Fury — the ongoing U.S. military campaign targeting Iran’s military infrastructure and proxy networks — has intensified in recent days, with American and Israeli forces coordinating strikes aimed at weakening the regime’s military capabilities. The joint effort has targeted missile systems, military facilities, and infrastructure tied to Iran’s nuclear and weapons programs.
In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said U.S. Central Command carried out one of the most powerful bombing raids in Middle East history, “totally obliterating” military targets on Kharg Island, which he described as Iran’s “crown jewel.” The island serves as a critical hub for the regime’s operations in the Persian Gulf. Trump said the strike deliberately spared the island’s oil infrastructure but warned that could change if Iran attempts to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

IDF_Michigan_montage

New Intel Reveals Killer Blood Tie To Hezbollah Behind Synagogue Terror Attack

Operation Epic Fury

A popular social media news page in Dearborn, Michigan, sparked outrage for a post on Thursday that focused on the Michigan synagogue attacker&#8217;s recent &#8220;family tragedy&#8221; just hours after the man rammed his vehicle into the largest Jewish Reform synagogue in the United States and opened fire with a rifle.
TCD Dearborn News, which has over half a million followers on Instagram and 150,000 followers on Facebook, wrote that synagogue attacker Ayman Ghazali &#8220;recently experienced a family tragedy overseas&#8221; when two of his brothers and some of his nephews were killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon. The news page also described the attack as an &#8220;incident&#8221; and wrote that &#8220;the suspect died following reports of an active shooter at the synagogue.&#8221;
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVzJcKJjuJn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVzJcKJjuJn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by TCD News (@dearborn)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
The Dearborn news page was blasted on social media for its framing of the story.
&#8220;Trying to justify terrorists living in your city 👎,&#8221; one Instagram user wrote on TCD Dearborn News&#8217; post.
&#8220;Love how this headline can&#8217;t even say what the &#8216;incident&#8217; was. Absolutely pathetic,&#8221; another person added.
Jesse Arm, vice president of external affairs at the Manhattan Institute, <a href="https://x.com/Jesse_Leg/status/2032229722604589370">wrote</a>, &#8220;Isn’t it interesting how we’re constantly told that hating Jews and hating the Jewish state are two entirely separate, disconnected things—yet when a Lebanese immigrant from Dearborn attempts a mass-casualty terrorist attack at a Jewish preschool in West Bloomfield, the fact that his family was impacted by a conflict started by a terrorist organization against Israel on the other side of the globe suddenly becomes relevant context[?]&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to TCD Dearborn News for comment.
Ghazali was killed by security personnel after ramming his vehicle, which was reportedly full of explosives, into Temple Israel. One security guard sustained injuries after being struck by the attacker&#8217;s vehicle. No one else in the synagogue, which also houses a preschool, was hurt, and the wounded security guard is expected to recover.
Ghazali was a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-synagogue-terrorist-ended-up-a-u-s-citizen-goes-back-to-obama-era?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=How+Synagogue+Terrorist+Ended+Up+A+U.S.+Citizen+Goes+Back+To+Obama+Era">Lebanese national</a> who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2016 under the Obama administration, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to The Daily Wire. He was born in Lebanon in 1985 and entered the United States in 2011 on an immigrant visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. Ghazali&#8217;s wife filed for divorce in August 2024, and the divorce was finalized in March 2025, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2026/03/12/temple-israel-synagogue-suspect-identified-as-dearborn-heights-man/89126461007/">reported</a>.
Ghazali lived and worked in Dearborn Heights, according to multiple local reports. The Dearborn and Dearborn Heights area has one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States. Dearborn Heights is 20 miles south of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, an area that holds the largest Jewish population in Michigan.
The FBI said on Thursday night that it is leading the investigation into the attack, calling it a &#8220;targeted attack on the Jewish community.&#8221; Law enforcement officials did not say whether they had a lead on a potential motivation behind the attack. Armed FBI agents were seen executing a search warrant at the house believed to belong to Ghazali late Thursday night, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-fbi-agents-carry-out-search-warrant-believed-connection-synagogue-attacker">reported</a>.
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun commented on the attack on the Jewish synagogue and also mentioned that &#8220;earlier this month, [Ghazali] lost several members of his own family, including his niece and nephew, in an Israeli attack on their home in Lebanon,&#8221; according to The Detroit News. Baydoun condemned the attack on &#8220;a house of worship,&#8221; saying, &#8220;Everyone deserves to worship in peace.&#8221;
&#8220;This tragedy comes at a time when communities everywhere are confronting rising hate and senseless violence,&#8221; the mayor added. &#8220;No matter where violence occurs, whether in West Bloomfield or anywhere around in the world, harm against innocent people is something we must all stand firmly against. The tensions we see across the world too often find their way into our own neighborhoods, reminding us how deeply connected our shared safety is.&#8221;

Dearborn Media Outlet Pivots To Synagogue Attacker’s Recent ‘Family Tragedy’

Dearborn News Page Focuses On Recent 'Family Tragedy' Of Synagogue Attacker

Jews

Lebanon

Just one day after voting against legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) called for the department to be funded while speaking about a terror attack on a Michigan synagogue. 
During a press conference on the attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Slotkin said Congress should fund DHS but exclude allocations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
“We need to fund the Department of Homeland Security, and we need, in my view, to cut away all the conversation on ICE, which is its own conversation, from all the core missions of the Department of Homeland Security,” Slotkin said. 
Her remarks came one day after Slotkin joined all Senate Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00054.htm">blocking</a> legislation to fund DHS. 
When asked whether DHS was less prepared for terror attacks because of the partial shutdown, Slotkin said essential personnel were still working. 
“The department, because they are essential workers, they have been at work, certainly in Michigan, we have a ton of DHS folks, CBP, and so they are on the call and they are doing their jobs,” she said. “But they&#8217;re essential, they&#8217;re on the job, they&#8217;re working today.”
Slotkin made the comments alongside Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer during a press conference addressing Thursday&#8217;s terror attack. Authorities say Ayman Mohamad Ghazali rammed his truck into the synagogue and opened fire with a rifle before being shot and killed by synagogue security personnel. Ghazali was born in Lebanon and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2016. 
DHS has faced a funding lapse since February 14 as Democrats and Republicans clash over ICE policy. Agencies under DHS include the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), FEMA, Customs and Border Protection, and the Coast Guard. 
Some analysts have warned that the shutdown is hampering the government’s counterterrorism efforts. 
“We’re dealing with a heightened threat environment right now, and we need the federal government security capabilities to be firing on all cylinders,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-dhs-shutdown-poses-grave-risk-as-terror-incidents-rock-american-communities-experts-warn">said</a> Nathan Sales, former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS.

Sens Kelly And Slotkin Brief Press After Grand Jury Fails To Indict Them For Video

Dem Calls For DHS Funding After Synagogue Terror Attack — But Rewind 24 Hours

Department of Homeland Security

Elissa Slotkin

terrorist attack

Menu