UW Student Group Tied to $1M in Damage Hosting Freed Terrorist Speaker

Suspended SUPER UW co-hosting event with Seattle U SJP featuring Raed Abdul Jalil, a member of the US-designated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:59pm

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A vibrant, fractured painting of a Palestinian flag waving in the wind, with overlapping geometric shapes and waves of blue, green, red, and black colors, conceptually representing the political tensions and controversy surrounding a student group's decision to host a convicted terrorist at a cultural event.A fractured, abstract painting captures the turbulent political tensions surrounding a student group's decision to host a convicted terrorist at a cultural festival.Washington Today

A suspended University of Washington student activist group already facing charges for its role in a destructive campus takeover is now co-hosting an event featuring a convicted terrorist released in a recent hostage deal. Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW), a suspended UW student group tied to the May 2025 occupation of the school's brand new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building and causing over $1 million in damage, is partnering with Seattle University Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Nidal Seattle to host the April 25 'Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival.' The event will feature a remote appearance by Raed Abdul Jalil, a member of the US-designated Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terrorist group who was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in deadly terror attacks.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about student activist groups with ties to designated terrorist organizations hosting events and speakers that glorify violence and extremism on college campuses. The University of Washington has faced challenges in balancing free speech rights with maintaining campus safety and security in the wake of the 2025 engineering building occupation.

The details

Promotional materials for the event state that Raed Abdul Jalil, a member of the US-designated terrorist organization Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, is scheduled to speak remotely from Egypt. Abdul Jalil was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison for his role in terrorist attacks that resulted in Israeli deaths and injuries. He was released in February 2025 as part of an exchange deal between Israel and Hamas for Israeli civilians kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, massacre. Event organizers describe Abdul Jalil as a 'freed Palestinian political prisoner and author,' highlighting his time in prison and connections to prominent figures, including Marwan Barghouti and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) operative Walid Daqqa.

  • SUPER UW and its affiliates were suspended from the University of Washington campus in May 2025 following the engineering building occupation.
  • Raed Abdul Jalil was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in deadly terror attacks.
  • Abdul Jalil was released in February 2025 as part of an exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
  • The 'Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival' featuring Abdul Jalil is scheduled for April 25, 2026.

The players

Students United for Palestinian Equality and Return (SUPER UW)

A suspended University of Washington student activist group tied to the May 2025 occupation of the school's brand new Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, causing over $1 million in damage.

Raed Abdul Jalil

A member of the US-designated terrorist organization Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades who was arrested in 2002, sentenced to life in prison for his role in deadly terror attacks, and released in February 2025 as part of an exchange deal.

Seattle University Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

A student group co-hosting the 'Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival' event with SUPER UW.

Nidal Seattle

An organization co-hosting the 'Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival' event with SUPER UW and Seattle U SJP.

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What’s next

The University of Washington is expected to closely monitor the upcoming 'Palestinian Cultural Resistance Festival' event and any potential violations of campus policies or laws by the suspended SUPER UW group.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges universities face in balancing free speech rights with maintaining campus safety and security, especially when it comes to student groups with ties to designated terrorist organizations hosting controversial events and speakers.