A former staffer of Abdul El-Sayed, who’s running for Michigan’s U.S. Senate seat, was arrested as part of a group that allegedly threatened the University of Michigan and a Jewish group because it refused to divest from Israel.
Mariam Odeh, 24, of Dearborn, was accused of being part of a group that vandalized buildings, threatened University of Michigan employees and their families.
The group said that they “must escalate, mobilize, and organize to demand divestment by any means necessary.”
They allegedly researched personal addresses, photographs, political and social connections, business ownership, and other personal details of the targets. They allegedly discussed methods by which to harm the targets and their families, including poison, bombs, and psychological torture. For example, on May 21, 2024, Feyock and then-medical student Korkaya agreed to “kill,” “torment,” and “terrorize” their targets and families.
The Detroit News first reported the story. Odeh was an hourly employee for the campaign and “has not been affiliated with the campaign since April 15,” the News reported.
Ex-Abdul El-Sayed campaign staffer charged in UM threat case https://t.co/5X2YxS4ID7
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) June 11, 2026
UPDATE: @AbdulElSayed's campaign has clarified that Mariam Odeh was a paid campaign employee over a period of three months, not two weeks as they initially said.https://t.co/yIUNcRQuVR
— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) June 11, 2026
🚨 According to the Detroit News, Michigan Senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s former staffer is as one of the 8 indicted by the DOJ yesterday on terror-related harassment charges.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 11, 2026
El-Sayed previously campaigned with a man who said America deserved 9/11. pic.twitter.com/GphBTjPWmP
🚨Department of Justice indicts eight conspirators who threatened University of Michigan officials, businesses, and the Jewish Federation
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) June 10, 2026
“In America, we rule by law not by fear. These alleged threats and attempts to terrorize government officials, businesses, and the Jewish… pic.twitter.com/UJ7FnGCDXp
The politician has surrounded himself with questionable figures. El-Sayed has campaigned with controversial podcast host Hasan Piker, who has said that the U.S. deserved 9/11.
El-Sayed’s campaign is doing damage control today, claiming that Abdul’s former employee, Mariam Muhammed Odeh—who was indicted yesterday in the University of Michigan threat case for felony conspiracy and destruction of property —was merely paid for two weeks “hourly.”… https://t.co/HYcKHIPFbo pic.twitter.com/ksBhyVCKVy
— Heather Dow (@PatriotPostGirl) June 11, 2026
One of the eight people indicted for allegedly conspiring to threaten University of Michigan leaders to pressure them to sever ties with Israel worked for the U.S. Senate campaign of Abdul El-Sayed as recently as Aprilhttps://t.co/7bcoTzOgrQ
— Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) June 11, 2026
After the U.S. killed Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, El-Sayed didn't make a public statement because "there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad...”, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
