Hasan Piker al-Qaeda remarks have entered Michigan’s Senate campaign after the Twitch streamer told Axios he believes U.S. actions have caused more deaths and terror worldwide than the militant network.
Piker made the comparison during an interview on “The Axios Show.” However, he said his criticism did not mean he viewed all Americans as terrorists.
Piker pointed to the February strike on a school in Minab, Iran, while explaining his argument. He said incidents involving civilian deaths should face greater accountability.
Meanwhile, a UN-appointed fact-finding mission said Thursday that it had reasonable grounds to believe U.S. forces struck the Minab school. The mission concluded that the attack amounted to a war crime.
Associated Press reporting has also documented the destruction at the school and the deaths of around 120 children. However, a final official casualty count has remained uncertain.
Read: Israeli Navy Strikes Yemen Power Plant, Sparks War Crime Concerns
The Pentagon has continued investigating the strike. As of Thursday, it had not released final public findings on responsibility.
Piker also addressed his 2019 statement that “America deserved 9/11.” He has apologised for that wording and told Axios that his argument concerned what he describes as foreign-policy “blowback,” not justification for the attacks.
The latest Hasan Piker al-Qaeda remarks have also become part of the Michigan Senate race. Republican nominee Mike Rogers has also criticised the association.
Republican groups have spent nearly $3 million on advertising linking Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed to Piker, according to AdImpact data.
El-Sayed has rejected Piker’s latest comparison. In a statement to Axios, he said he disagreed with the al-Qaeda remark and wanted to focus instead on economic issues affecting Michigan residents.
Read: US Al-Qaeda Rewards Target Senior Figures Linked to Iran
Still, El-Sayed has defended speaking with Piker because of the streamer’s large audience. Piker campaigned with El-Sayed during the Democratic primary, a relationship Republicans have kept highlighting.
