Son of 1993 WTC Bombing Victim Expresses Disappointment Over NJ Primary Winner's Terror Ties

Michael Macko, whose father was killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, expressed disappointment following the victory of Adam Hisham Hamawy in a New Jersey House primary. Hamawy has faced scrutiny for his connections to Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was convicted of inciting the bombing that resulted in six deaths and thousands of injuries. Macko, a lifelong Democrat, criticized Hamawy's candidacy, stating, "It’s just so disappointing… that this is the best candidate that we can come up with." Macko's father, William Macko, was killed during the bombing while having lunch in the basement of the WTC. Hamawy met Abdel-Rahman in 1991 and later testified as a defense witness in the cleric's trial. Macko raised concerns about Hamawy's past associations, questioning the claims that he had no ties to Abdel-Rahman after the cleric's arrest. Hamawy's campaign has stated that his past connections are being misrepresented as "guilt-by-association" shaming. The campaign also condemned violence and terrorism in a statement.