Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander quoted the Quran before an imam reportedly prayed for “the killing of infidels” during a recent mosque visit.
During a visit to the Al-Khoei Islamic Center in Queens, New York, Lander described himself as “a proud Jewish New Yorker” before denouncing “Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” MEMRI reported May 15. He expressed his desire to partner with Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, (RELATED: Ilhan Omar Faces DOJ Investigation, JD Vance Tells Daily Caller)
WATCH:
New York Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander recited a Quran verse at a Queens mosque, saying he hopes to partner with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib in Congress. During the same event, the imam prayed for the Mahdi to kill infidels with his sword. pic.twitter.com/ZoQ094kC5o
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 21, 2026
Lander did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
“In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say: ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, the Eternal Refuge, He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’ Thank you very much for welcoming me today,” Lander said before leaving the podium.
“Through your hands comes the relief for the believers and the killing of the infidels by your sword,” the imam then prayed, according to MEMRI.
Lander is currently running for New York’s 10th congressional district. He is the former comptroller of New York City, and a close ally of Mamdani.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him after he allegedly assaulted Department of Homeland Security officers last June, the DCNF previously reported.
Lander’s wife, former Planned Parenthood executive Meg Barnette, reportedly stated on X that the arrest occurred while he was “escorting a defendant out of immigration court.” He was released that same afternoon, according to CCN.
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