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- calendar_today October 21, 2026
Dr. Khdiga Metwally Enters Milton School Board Race
Dr. Khdiga Metwally, the mother of convicted ISIS terrorist Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, is running for trustee of the Halton District School Board in Milton, Ontario. Metwally is a candidate for Milton Wards 1 and 2 in the upcoming election scheduled for October 26, according to her campaign statement and the list of certified candidates.
Background of Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy
Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 28, was convicted in the United States for plotting to carry out 9/11-style terrorist attacks in New York City in 2016 on behalf of ISIS, which is designated as a terrorist entity both in Canada and the U.S. El Bahnasawy was sentenced to 40 years in U.S. federal prison in 2018. This week, his sentence was extended by an additional 50 years after he was found guilty of attacking two correctional officers in 2020. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that he created a weapon from a steel desk in his cell and used it to stab one officer in the head and face, and another in the hand.
Metwally's Professional Experience and School Board Platform
Dr. Metwally's campaign highlights her professional background as a life skills teacher, university department chair, author, speaker, and human development instructor. According to her campaign website, she advocates for a “high-quality, well-rounded curriculum, strong academic achievement, practical life skills, and safe, inclusive schools free from hate, racism, discrimination and bullying.” She also emphasizes the importance of timely mental-health support and the value of early understanding, compassionate support, and appropriate intervention—drawing on her personal family experience.
Addressing Her Son's Criminal Conviction
While Dr. Metwally’s campaign materials do not mention her son, she addressed his case publicly during an interview with MiltonToday in September. “I do not ask Milton voters to judge my son’s case through me, or to judge me through my son. I ask them to judge me by my qualifications, my values, my experience, and what I can bring to our public schools,” she stated.
Metwally added that much of what led to her son's case involved online communications, and maintained that “the full context, including his mental health and vulnerability at the time, is important when people discuss what happened.” She said discussing her son’s mental health is “not about excusing wrongdoing,” but about “learning from what happened, protecting my son from his current situation and ensuring that he receives the appropriate and humane mental health care he needs.”
Official and Public Responses
The U.S. Department of Justice reported that El Bahnasawy conspired with others using encrypted electronic messaging applications and traveled to the United States to conduct planned bombings and shootings in heavily populated areas of New York City. In a 2020 U.S. government report about terrorism in Canada, it was noted that El Bahnasawy’s parents “have alleged the RCMP knew of their son’s medical conditions and should have sought treatment for him.”
Metwally did not immediately respond to requests for further comment regarding her candidacy or her son’s most recent sentencing.
Campaign Continues Ahead of Election
As the election approaches, Dr. Metwally is focusing on her educational priorities as a school board candidate. Discussion continues in the local community about her qualifications and platform, as well as her family history and public statements regarding her son’s case and the importance of mental health support within the education system.
Source: nationalpost.com.
