Mamdani Gives 9/11 Ceremonial Pen To Aide Who Represented Al-Qaeda Operative
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism over an unexpected moment during a City Hall ceremony marking the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
After signing executive orders honoring 9/11 victims and strengthening city emergency preparedness, Mamdani directed that the ceremonial pen be passed to one of his senior aides, whose past legal work quickly became the focus of controversy.
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The ceremony was intended to establish September 11 as an annual citywide Day of Remembrance and Service while also updating the city’s continuity planning.
Video and reporting from the event showed Mamdani handing the pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and quietly asking her to pass it along.
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Tisch then handed the ceremonial pen to Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, a longtime attorney who previously represented Guantánamo Bay detainee Ahmed al-Darbi.
Al-Darbi pleaded guilty before a military commission to terrorism-related charges stemming from the 2002 bombing of the French oil tanker MV Limburg off Yemen.
His family also had a direct connection to the September 11 attacks through his brother-in-law Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which struck the Pentagon.
Kassem’s legal representation of al-Darbi was part of a broader career focused on national-security, civil-rights and Guantánamo Bay cases.
CUNY School of Law records confirm that Kassem and his students worked on al-Darbi’s case while Kassem directed the school’s immigrant-rights clinic, and that he has represented numerous detainees held at Guantánamo.
Kassem now serves as chief counsel to Mamdani and was listed by the mayor at Friday’s ceremony among senior administration officials involved in the event.
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City Hall told the New York Post that Kassem attended because his office helped draft both executive orders as part of his responsibilities as chief counsel.
The symbolism of giving him the signing pen nevertheless drew immediate criticism from relatives of 9/11 victims and Republican members of the New York City Council.
Dennis Warchola, whose firefighter brother Michael died in the North Tower, questioned why someone with Kassem’s legal history would be singled out during a ceremony commemorating the attacks.
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Council Member Joann Ariola described the move as “breathtakingly tone-deaf and disrespectful,” arguing that the anniversary should focus on victims and their families.
Retired NYPD detective Michael Alcazar also criticized the symbolism, telling the Post he believed the handoff had been calculated, although no evidence has emerged establishing that Mamdani intended the gesture as a political statement.
The mayor’s executive orders themselves focus explicitly on honoring those killed on September 11, first responders, survivors and families affected by the attacks.
The remembrance order directs city agencies to observe moments of silence, hold commemorative programs and promote volunteer service each September 11.
A second order announced alongside it updates emergency preparedness procedures and creates a new interagency team aimed at maintaining essential city operations during future crises.
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Mamdani said the orders were intended to demonstrate that “Never Forget” should involve both remembrance and concrete preparation to protect New Yorkers.
The controversy therefore centers not on the substance of the executive orders but on the ceremonial decision to give the signing pen to Kassem.
Kassem’s work representing accused or convicted terrorism suspects was undertaken in his role as an attorney, and legal representation does not imply endorsement of a client’s conduct or ideology.
That distinction has not stopped critics from arguing that honoring him with a symbolic item from a 9/11 remembrance ceremony was inappropriate given the history of one of his former clients, The New York Post reported.
With New York preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the brief pen handoff has now become an unexpected political controversy surrounding what City Hall intended to be a solemn commemoration.
DETAILED NEWS REPORT: LIFE-THREATENING PERIL – THE NARROW ESCAPE OF FEMALE JOURNALIST Savannah Guthrie IN THE LINE OF DUTY
DETAILED NEWS REPORT: LIFE-THREATENING PERIL – THE NARROW ESCAPE OF FEMALE JOURNALIST Savannah Guthrie IN THE LINE OF DUTY
September 12, 2026
Field Reporter: Savannah Guthrie
INTRODUCTION: RISKS ON THE FRONTLINES OF INFORMATION
War reporting and field journalism are widely recognized as among the most hazardous professions. Journalists not only face relentless time constraints and public pressure, but they also regularly thrust themselves into hotspots and sudden, unpredictable events fraught with hidden dangers.
At noon today, while traveling along a vital highway to cover a breaking news story, field reporter Savannah Guthrie experienced one of the most harrowing moments of her journalism career: the specialized news vehicle she was riding in was suddenly attacked by a large stone, shattering the windshield while traveling at high speed.
THE INCIDENT: A TERRIFYING IMPACT IN A SPLIT SECOND
According to Savannah Guthrie's shaken firsthand account, the incident occurred at around 11:15 AM. At the time, the reporting team's car was passing through a relatively secluded blind spot in order to make schedule for a live news update.
Everything happened faster than anyone could react. A sharp, thunderous explosion shattered the quiet surroundings. A fairly large stone from the roadside—originating from an unknown source—flew directly toward and slammed with immense force against the passenger-side windshield, the exact spot where female reporter Savannah Guthrie was sitting to review her interview notes.
"The force of the impact made my entire world feel like it was collapsing. The thick tempered glass instantly cracked into hundreds of spiderweb-like fractures, bursting wide open and showering tiny glass shards into the interior of the vehicle. In that split second, the howling wind through the broken window and the burning smell of asphalt completely stunned me. Just a few centimeters off, and that stone could have hit me directly in the head; the consequences are truly unthinkable," Savannah Guthrie emotionally recalled, reflecting on her brush with mortality.
PROFESSIONAL BRAVERY: KEEPING A COOL HEAD IN AN EMERGENCY
Even though she had just suffered an extreme psychological shock and sustained minor, bleeding scratches on her arms from flying glass fragments, Savannah Guthrie demonstrated the steel nerves and professionalism of a seasoned journalist.
Instead of panicking or screaming in a way that would distract the driver, she immediately shielded her face to prevent further injury while signaling the driver to stay calm. Realizing the danger of a multi-vehicle pile-up caused by sudden braking in the middle of traffic, the driver kept a steady hand, gradually slowed down, and carefully guided the car onto the emergency lane about 500 meters ahead.
Once the vehicle came to a complete halt, the team immediately checked safety conditions, administered first aid for Savannah Guthrie’s minor wounds, and called the emergency hotlines of the traffic police and local authorities to report the incident.
CONCLUSION: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR FIELD SECURITY
Just minutes after receiving the report, local authorities arrived at the scene to assess property damage, collect debris, and take statements from the reporter and the driver. The police are currently reviewing nearby surveillance footage to track down the perpetrator behind this dangerous act—whether it was a reckless, malicious prank or intentional vandalism targeting moving vehicles.
This unexpected yet perilous incident once again sounds a profound alarm regarding the hidden threats that field reporters face every day while fulfilling their duty to bring fast, accurate news to the public. Although the event fortunately left no severe casualties, it serves as a major lesson in security protocols while underscoring the courage and steadfast dedication of female reporter Savannah Guthrie.
