In a significant development, federal prosecutors have leveled charges against Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old Louisiana resident, for his purported participation in a terrorist attack orchestrated by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023. Court filings and statements from the FBI reveal that Al-Muhtadi is accused of being an operative for the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and for submitting false information on a U.S. visa application.
The DFLP, established in 1969 and recognized by Israel as a terrorist organization, has been involved in a series of attacks, including rocket assaults and armed incursions against Israeli border towns. The NRB, in particular, has been active in these operations and reportedly coordinates with Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza, during significant offensives while receiving support from Iran and other regional allies.
The October 7 attack, a coordinated assault that tragically resulted in over 1,200 fatalities, including American citizens, and the capture of approximately 250 hostages, is among the deadliest in recent history. U.S. counterterrorism officials have highlighted the operational complexities posed by such collaborations between Hamas and the DFLP, noting the difficulty in distinguishing individual militants amidst the intertwined networks.
An FBI affidavit signed by Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell presents evidence linking Al-Muhtadi to the massacre. On the day of the attack, Al-Muhtadi allegedly armed himself and joined others in crossing into Israel to support Hamas's operation. His cellphone, according to investigators, connected to a tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a location where numerous civilian lives were taken.
Court documents, as reported by The Post Millennial, accuse Al-Muhtadi of concealing his affiliation with the NRB when applying for a U.S. visa in Cairo, Egypt, in June 2024. He entered the U.S. through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport using the approved visa on September 12, 2024, and subsequently moved to Lafayette, Louisiana. While there, he found employment in automotive and food service industries.
Further investigations uncovered encrypted communications and social media interactions linking Al-Muhtadi with militants overseas, some of which included images of weaponry and military training exercises. These findings led authorities to believe that Al-Muhtadi held a position of authority within the NRB capable of training new recruits.
Al-Muhtadi now faces charges related to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and visa fraud. His case is proceeding in the Western District of Louisiana before U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Ayo.
This case comes as the Justice Department intensifies efforts to identify and prosecute individuals with suspected ties to Hamas or affiliated groups, particularly those attempting to enter the U.S. through falsified visa applications. These steps reflect a broader commitment to national security and the prevention of terrorist infiltration.
