Freed Palestinian Terrorist’s Detroit Speech Ignites Fury
Shaheen is a convicted terrorists. The only reason he is free is because Hamas kidnapped Israelis and he was freed in a prisoners for hostage exchange deal. But the US gave him a visa anyway.
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Hussam Shaheen, a convicted Palestinian terrorist released in a February 2025 Israel-Hamas hostage exchange, is slated to speak at the People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit, Michigan, from August 29 to 31, sparking outrage and raising serious questions about U.S. visa oversight. Shaheen, who served nearly 20 years for attempted murder and terror recruitment, joins other controversial figures at the event, which critics slam as a platform for anti-Israel rhetoric and terrorism glorification.
Hussam Shaheen’s Terrorist Past
Hussam Shaheen, 53, was a key operative in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Fatah’s military wing, during the Second Intifada. He formed a terror cell in East Jerusalem’s Jebl Mukaber, procuring weapons for a planned 2001 attack that was foiled, according to The Rise and Fall of Arab Jerusalem.
He was arrested in Ramallah in 2004, after which he was sentenced to 27 years for attempted murder and conspiracy. On February 1, 2025, Shaheen was among over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 737 security detainees, freed in a deal that secured the release of 33 Israeli hostages, both alive and deceased, taken during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre that killed 1,200 and abducted 251. While imprisoned, Shaheen wrote books about his experiences, which he will discuss at the Detroit conference, where he’s billed as a “political prisoner,” a label critics reject given his violent history.
The People’s Conference for Palestine
The second annual People’s Conference for Palestine, hosted at Detroit’s Huntington Place, is organized by groups like the Palestinian Youth Movement and the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, with endorsements from over 300 organizations, including Jewish Voice for Peace. The event, expecting thousands, features panels, workshops, and cultural displays under the slogan “Gaza is the Compass,” framing Israel’s actions as “genocide” and calling for Palestinian liberation.
Shaheen will be in very 'good company'. Other speakers include Omar Assaf, a former Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) operative jailed for over eight years, and U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. Other speakers, like Mahmoud Khalil and Linda Sarsour, alongside Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, add to the event’s disgraceful lineup.
The conference’s rhetoric has drawn fire for praising Hamas’s October 7 attack and honoring figures like Walid Daqqa, a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) member convicted of murdering an IDF soldier. Last year’s event, attended by 3,500, raised $200,000 for Gaza aid via the Middle East Children’s Alliance, but critics, including the Anti-Defamation League, condemned its “antisemitic tropes” and calls for violence against “Zionists,” citing speeches like Taher Herzallah’s claim that “Zionism’s tentacles” corrupt American politics.
Outrage Over U.S. Visa Approval
Shaheen’s participation has fueled anger, particularly among pro-Israel advocates. X users demanded answers on how a convicted terrorist obtained a U.S. visa, with journalist Laura Loomer calling it a “severe failure” by the State Department.
The controversy echoes concerns about the 2024 conference, where travel restrictions blocked some Palestinian speakers, yet Shaheen’s entry suggests lax oversight. The State Department has not commented, leaving speculation about whether Shaheen’s release status or activist campaigns influenced the decision. Critics argue the conference legitimizes terrorism under the guise of activism, pointing to its open support for Hamas and PFLP figures. Jewish organizations warn that allowing such speakers risks normalizing anti-Semitism and endangering U.S. security.