Omar urges Congressional leaders to take action after Boebert’s ‘Jihad Squad’ remarks

Republican congresswoman joked that Omar may have been carrying a bomb in a backpack.
Rep. Ilhan Omar

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar this week demanded that congressional leaders take action against Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert for jokes the latter said made apparently equating the former to a terrorist.

Video surfaced this week in which Boebert described an experience in the U.S. Capitol in which a security guard was jogging in the direction of Omar, a Muslim. “Well, she doesn’t have a backpack. We should be fine,” Boebert claimed she said, adding that she also remarked, “Oh look, the jihad squad decided to show up for work today.”

As backlash to the remarks grew, Omar on Twitter called for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to take action against Boebert. 

“Saying I am a suicide bomber is no laughing matter,” Omar tweeted. “[McCarthy] and [Pelosi] need to take appropriate action, normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims. Anti-Muslim bigotry has no place in Congress.”

Boebert has apologized to “the Muslim commuinty” for her remarks, though she did not appear to apologize to Omar directly. Omar, meanwhile, has accused Boebert of fabricating the story itself.