Mayor Eric Adams’ readiness to embrace folks from every community and even make some his advisers is commendable — but there need to be limits.
The Islamist Watch’s Sam Westrop reports that a senior liaison in Hizzoner’s Community Affairs Unit, Mohammed Bahi, is also the co-founder of “a radical organization with terror ties” called Muslims Giving Back.
Bahi’s circle, he suggests, includes figures with Islamist, anti-Jewish or anti-Israel links, too.
Having people like Bahi serving on the mayor’s staff, Westrop argues, “amplifies the Islamists” — including those who detest the West.
His report follows The Post’s own revelations of Chinese Communist Party ties to one of Adams’ closest advisors, Winnie Greco.
The CCP is America’s biggest threat. Where does this end?
One of that Muslim group’s co-founders, Asad Dandi, reportedly “sympathized with Al Qaeda.”
“Through Bahi,” argues Westrop, “the Adams administration has become closely intertwined with New York Islamist networks.”
At a recent press conference, Adams was joined by Bahi and Islamists such as Talib Abdur-Rashid, of the Islamic Leadership Council of New York.
Members of the council have reportedly praised terror groups; Abdur-Rashid has “defended the Iranian regime’s call for Israel’s destruction,” says Westrop.
Adams spokesman Charles Lutvak dismisses Westrop’s report as “nonsense,” claiming much of it isn’t backed up.
He notes that the group does good work, such as providing food for the poor, and we expect that’s why the mayor values its work.
Yet we checked the key claims we’re noting here.
The one about Dandi, for example, comes from a 2013 city Corporation Counsel letter, based off NYPD information.
Meanwhile, Greco was named a consultant by at least two Beijing-backed groups.
Her company took cash from the Propaganda Department of the CCP’s Beijing Municipal Committee.
Indeed, Greco seems open about her love for the Communist Chinese regime: She once sang “Ode to the Motherland,” praising it, on stage — in front of Adams.
Yes, Adams loves to offer people “second chances,” give them the benefit of the doubt, overlook negatives.
Consider some of his hires as mayor — such as Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, who was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a de Blasio-era corruption case.
Or his social connections, such as to restaurateurs Johnny and Robert Petrosyants, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to financial crimes and conducted shady business practices even after, The New York Times found.
It’s been a constant in his career; decades back, he stood with the hate-spewing rabble-rouser of the Million Youth March, Khalid Muhammad, and antisemitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Yet now Adams is mayor; shouldn’t he strive for more reputable ties?
At best, such associations don’t make for a particularly good look.
At worst, Adams is taking advice from people with questionable values.
Let’s just hope the New Yorkers won’t someday pay the price.
