Watchdog Files Complaint Against San Francisco State University Over Alleged Terror Ties
The Intelligent Advocacy Network is urging California’s Attorney General to investigate SFSU's AMED Department, alleging misuse of public funds and promotion of terror-tied figures
A national watchdog group has filed a formal complaint with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alleging that San Francisco State University’s Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas (AMED) Studies program has promoted individuals connected to U.S.-designated terrorist organizations. The complaint, submitted by the Intelligent Advocacy Network (IAN) on June 13, calls for an investigation into AMED and its director, Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, over the alleged misuse of public funds and alignment with terrorist figures.
IAN claims the program has used university resources to elevate members of Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), in what it describes as a sustained effort to legitimize these groups through taxpayer-funded platforms.
Speakers and Events Highlighted in Complaint
IAN’s complaint outlines a series of events and programs where AMED reportedly featured or partnered with individuals connected to terrorism. These include appearances by convicted PFLP hijacker Leila Khaled, convicted Hamas financier Sheikh Raed Salah, and convicted PIJ financier Sami Al-Arian. The group also points to AMED’s ties to Samidoun, designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and Canada in 2024, and events glorifying PFLP spokesman Ghassan Kanafani.
One trip organized under the program’s banner brought students to Jordan to meet Khaled and Salah, raising further questions about the nature of the educational mission being pursued.
According to IAN, these activities were promoted using official SFSU websites and branding, implicating the university under state laws that restrict political use of public resources. The group argues that this violates California Government Code § 8314 and represents a failure of oversight by the California State University system.
AMED Organized Conference in Beirut Featuring Terror-Linked Speakers
On September 10, 2022, a conference titled "Memorializing the Sabra & Shatila Massacre: Bearing Witness, Resilience, & Accountability" was held in Beirut. Organized by Dr. Abdulhadi, the two-day event featured speakers with connections to terrorist groups and was not authorized or sponsored by San Francisco State University. SFSU media relations specialist Kent Bravo clarified that the university had contacted the organizers regarding the unauthorized use of the SFSU name.
The conference featured speakers such as Salah Salah, a founder of the PFLP, Sami Al-Arian, and Leila Khaled. Additionally, the event included Palestinian-Lebanese guerilla fighters Kifah Afifi and Anwar Yassine.
AMED Director Referred to Terror Groups as the “Palestinian Resistance”
Central to IAN’s complaint is a 2024 speech by Dr. Abdulhadi in which she praised the leadership of Hamas, PIJ, and the PFLP in what she called the “Palestinian resistance.” IAN alleges that this level of ideological support crosses a line beyond protected academic speech, especially given the groups’ designation as terrorist organizations.
Legal Context & Request for Action
The complaint references a 2019 legal settlement between SFSU and Jewish students who alleged a hostile campus climate. IAN argues that the AMED program continues to promote narratives and figures hostile to Zionist identity, undermining the terms of that settlement.
IAN also notes a recent antisemitic vandalism incident at a San Francisco café, which occurred just two-weeks after AMED-linked figures publicly praised a deadly terrorist attack in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli embassy staffers were murdered. This serves as an example of how rhetoric promoted in university settings can fuel real-world violence.
While the complaint targets state-level enforcement, IAN suggests that the issues raised could also violate federal laws, including statutes on material support for terrorism, civil rights protections under Title VI, and disclosure requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
IAN is asking the Attorney General to investigate AMED’s operations, subpoena relevant records, and, if appropriate, refer findings to federal authorities. As of now, San Francisco State University has not commented publicly on the complaint.