Obama's ex-adviser charged for Islamophobic attack on Muslim street vendor in NYC

Stuart Seldowitz, a former adviser to the National Security Council under ex-US president Barack Obama, has been charged with five counts after attacking a halal street vendor in New York City.

Seldowitz, 64, allegedly targeted Mohammad Hussein, a 24-year-old Muslim street vendor in an Islamophobic attack, referring to him as a "rapist" and calling him "ignorant" for his lack of English, before going on a tirade about the Quran.

The attack comes as part of the several Islamophobic episodes in the US which exacerbated more than a month after Hamas, a Palestinian resistance group, breached Israel's security nexus in a surprise attack. In the wake of the attack, the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government has continued to target innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip with heavy bombardment, leaving the Strip destroyed and its population displaced.

Following Seldowitz's arrest on Wednesday night, he has been charged with two counts of aggravated harassment and three counts of stalking — one under the city's hate crimes law, one for intent to cause fear and one for doing so at the victim's place of employment.

Despite being charged with five counts, Seldowitz was seen being escorted out of the 19th Precinct on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with a grin on his face.

His arrest comes after shocking footage emerged this week of him telling Hussein "If we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, it wasn't enough".

He threatened to get Hussein deported to Egypt during the sick tirade.

David Schwartz, the founder and president of Gotham Government Relations — the firm Seldowitz was working with, ended all affiliation with him and offered to represent the vendor in any lawsuits, Daily Mail reported.

"By the way, I'll represent the food vendor pro bono if he wants to bring a lawsuit against Stuart Seldowitz," Schwartz said. "I'm absolutely outraged by this video."

The firm also claimed that Seldowitz had not worked there for years, though Vice News claimed he was hired in 2022 as Foreign Affairs Chair.

Speaking to City & State Tuesday night, Seldowitz, who was previously the deputy director in the US State Department's Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs from 1999 to 2003, offered a brief, half-hearted apology.

He said: "I regret the whole thing happened and I'm sorry. But you know, in the heat of the moment, I said things that probably I shouldn't have said. I did have an argument with a food vendor. It is quite possible that it's me. I mean, I've not seen the video, but I believe it's probably me."

Seldowitz also went on a tirade about the vendor's devotion to the Quran, but, according to his apology, he does not think he has an issue with Muslims.

He said: "If I had to do it all over again, I would not have raised the religious aspect. I don't think I'm an Islamophobic guy. I've spoken up for equal treatment of Muslims on numerous occasions with numerous different people."

According to Daily Mail, Seldowitz said that he has had several arguments with the vendor at the cart.

"Yes, I went back because I pass that food cart regularly and I went back and had other arguments," he explained.

Attorney General of New York Letitia James in a post on X, formerly Twitter, said: "This is disgusting, hateful, and New York won't tolerate it. We won't stand for Islamophobia or any kind of hate in our state."

Seldowitz has also worked as a journalist, strategist, and life insurance agent, according to his LinkedIn profile.

However, Northwestern Mutual — whom he listed as a current employer on LinkedIn — said on X earlier Thursday: "We have confirmed this individual is not contracted by or affiliated with Northwestern Mutual."