Palestinian-American activist and Bernie Sanders supporter Linda Sarsour said in 2012 that she believed the New York Police Department's informants had manufactured terrorism cases against American Muslims.
Sarsour appeared on the "Arab Voices" radio program to discuss, among other issues, the "anti-Muslim sentiment in New York."
"The cases that they have supposed foiled, we believe many of those cases are entrapment cases," she said. "We believe that the NYPD informants actually manufacture these cases so they can justify the funding that comes to the NYPD."
Sarsour recounted several cases that she said fell under this category, including that of Algerian-born Ahmed Ferhani, who she said had a history of mental illness. An investigation revealed he and a partner wished to attack a synagogue. She also mentioned the case of Shahawar Matin Siraj, who she said had an IQ of 75. According to the NYPD, he and an accomplice planned to blow up the Herald Square subway station.
"As an American, I would question the plots that the NYPD talks about," she said.
Sarsour appeared at a roundtable with Sanders on Saturday in Brooklyn. Sanders recently had to suspend new Jewish Outreach Director Simone Zimmerman after the Washington Free Beacon uncovered a Facebook post where she cursed out "asshole" Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sarsour has made numerous controversial remarks surrounding the U.S., Israel and terrorism.
She once tweeted a picture of a Palestinian child holding rocks likely meant to be thrown at Israeli troops and called it "the definition of courage." She has also stated "nothing is creepier than Zionism."
The definition of courage. #Palestinepic.twitter.com/VchvSQMGCi
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) October 12, 2015
Nothing is creepier than Zionism.Challenge racism, #NormalizeJustice. Check out this video by @remroum http://t.co/q282BYT8
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) October 31, 2012
She also once ridiculed the concern for women's rights in Saudi Arabia.
10 weeks of PAID maternity leave in Saudi Arabia. Yes PAID. And ur worrying about women driving. Puts us to shame. http://t.co/xZAwgg6HXL
— Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) November 16, 2014
Sarsour also expressed regret at Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's capture in 2003, because he had been a hero to Palestinians.
"I think he’s done a lot of things he shouldn’t have done, but I was hurt. My Arab pride was hurt," she said. "Palestinians are under so much oppression and no other Arab country ever helped them."
Sarsour was honored by the White House in 2011 as a "champion of change."