Omar ‘facing death threats’ over 9/11 video

ILHAN Omar says she’s faced increased death threats since US President Donald Trump spread around a video that purports to show her being dismissive of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

“This is endangering lives,” she said, accusing Mr Trump of fomenting right-wing extremism. “It has to stop.”

Her statement followed an announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that she has taken steps to ensure the safety of the Minnesota Democrat and the speaker’s call for Mr Trump to take down the video.

Soon after Ms Pelosi’s statement, the video disappeared as a pinned tweet at the top of Mr Trump’s Twitter feed, but it was not deleted.

Mr Trump further escalated the standoff yesterday morning, tweeting: “Before Nancy, who has lost all control of Congress and is getting nothing done, decides to defend her leader, Rep Omar, she should look at the anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and ungrateful US HATE statements Omar has made. She is out of control, except for her control of Nancy!”

Ms Pelosi was among Democrats who had criticised Mr Trump over the tweet, with some accusing him of trying to incite violence against the Muslim lawmaker.

An upstate New York man recently was charged with making death threats against her.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders defended Mr Trump, saying the president has a duty to highlight Ms Omar’s history of making comments that others deem anti-Semitic or otherwise offensive and that he wished no “ill will” upon the first-term lawmaker.

But Ms Omar said since Mr Trump retweeted the video on Friday night, she’s received many threats on her life that referred or replied to the posted video.

“Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and white nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world,” she said.