A former staffer for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has been indicted alongside seven other pro-Palestinian activists, accused of conspiring to terrorize University of Michigan leaders into severing ties with Israel. The indictment, unsealed in feder
The case moved quietly into federal court Wednesday, but the allegations land like a warning shot—about fear meant to travel.
A former staffer for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D) was indicted along with seven other people for allegedly conspiring to “terrorize” leaders at the University of Michigan into severing ties with Israel. The indictment was unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Wednesday.
Prosecutors say the eight pro-Palestinian activists face charges including “conspiracy to transmit threats. witness intimidation and destruction of property to prevent seizure.” The plan. as described in the indictment. is not framed as protest in the traditional sense. It is presented as an effort to force a decision through intimidation.
The indictment says their criminal activity included spray-painting threats. breaking windows. and throwing glass jars filled with noxious chemicals into family homes. Prosecutors also allege the defendants marked their victims with threatening symbols used by Hamas. including red inverted triangles and red handprints.
Investigators further allege that the group used the internet and social media to broadcast its message—both to ensure the threats were heard by victims and to make their “commitment to continuing criminal activity” visible to others who support Israel.
One defendant drew additional scrutiny tied to her work for El-Sayed’s campaign. The Detroit News reported that Mariam Odeh. one of the defendants. received $154 on March 3 and $593 on March 13 from El-Sayed’s campaign as “salary disbursements. ” according to court records cited by the outlet. Odeh’s arrangement is set for July 1. She first appeared in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Wednesday.
Odeh’s ties to the University of Michigan are also part of the court record described in reporting from the courtroom. Investigators allege she attended the University of Michigan from 2020 to 2025.
The Times of Israel added details from investigators’ allegations. including that the defendants “discussed using poison. bombs and ‘psychological torture’ against the targets and their families.” It also reported that. in a message from May 2024. two of the defendants agreed to “kill. ” “torment. ” and “terrorize” their opponents and their families.
During the court appearance. a pretrial services officer. Brian Harmon. reportedly told the judge that Odeh held “full-time employment for approximately four months” through April of this year for “a local Senate candidate.” Harmon also reportedly said Odeh resides in Dearborn with her family and teaches Arabic.
El-Sayed’s campaign disputes part of how the employment relationship was described. The campaign alleged that Odeh was an hourly employee for two weeks in April before changing its comments in a text message sent to The Detroit News.
Roxie Richner. a spokesperson for El-Sayed’s campaign. wrote: “Upon discovering an error in reviewing our HR files. we’d like to correct information on her employment for transparency. She was hired in February as an hourly employee and left the campaign on April 15. The campaign issued one missed hourly back payment in May that will appear on our next FEC filing.”.
Facing the strongest potential penalty is a charge prosecutors say could carry a prison term of up to five years. Odeh could face up to five years in prison for charges of “conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate or foreign commerce.”
In the sequence described by the indictment and the court-record reporting that accompanied it. the alleged misconduct isn’t limited to isolated threats—it’s presented as an escalating set of actions directed at specific targets. coupled with messaging designed to be amplified. Spray-painting. window-breaking. noxious chemicals. and Hamas-linked symbols are paired with internet and social media broadcasts meant to ensure the threats were delivered and remembered.
Where the case stands now is clear: the indictment has been unsealed. the defendants have been named in court. and one of them—Mariam Odeh—has a disputed employment timeline tied to El-Sayed’s campaign. What remains unresolved is what the defense will argue and how the court will weigh the allegations as the case moves forward in federal proceedings in Detroit.
Abdul El-Sayed Michigan Senate University of Michigan pro-Palestinian activists indictment terrorize conspiracy to transmit threats witness intimidation destruction of property Mariam Odeh Dearborn federal court
Wait so it’s “terrorize” over Israel stuff? That’s wild.
I swear everyone on TikTok just calls anything “protest” now. If they’re throwing jars and spray painting threats then yeah that’s not normal protest. But also I’m confused how this is tied to a Senate candidate… like campaigns always get dragged into drama.
They said “marked victims with Hamas symbols” but I don’t see how prosecutors prove that part. Could be someone else’s graffiti or copycat stuff. Also doesn’t “internet and social media” basically mean they were just posting online? Like everyone posts online lol. Sounds like they’re trying to make an example out of campus people.
So the headline says terror plot, but it sounds like they were mad about cutting ties with Israel. Like isn’t that the whole point of activism? Then they’re talking about breaking windows and “noxious chemicals” which… ok that’s actually insane. And the money payments from the campaign?? I’m not saying it’s connected, but it feels like it is. This is why nothing gets solved, it just turns into federal court and fear. Michigan really can’t catch a break.