Gaza Terrorist Who Joined Oct. 7 Attack Arrested in Louisiana After Entering U.S. Under Biden Administration

A Gaza-born terrorist who participated in Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in Israel was arrested this month in Louisiana after entering the United States as a legal permanent resident under the Biden Administration last year, according to a federal criminal complaint issued October 6 and publicized Friday by the New York Times.

The complaint identifies the suspect as Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, a member  of the Communist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) military wing, the National Resistance Brigades (NRB)—also known as the “Martyr Umar al-Qasim Forces.” The FBI says Al-Muhtadi joined Hamas during the invasion of southern Israel, where thousands of civilians were murdered and kidnapped.

“Evidence shows that the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’s terrorist attack,” the complaint states. Investigators determined his cellphone connected to a tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities where some of the worst atrocities occurred.

According to the FBI, Al-Muhtadi’s online communications showed that he was alerted to Hamas’ assault at 6:34 a.m., and by 8:12 a.m., he was coordinating a group of armed men to cross into Israel. “He spent the next two hours coordinating a group of armed fighters to join him in traveling from Gaza into Israel to participate in Hamas’s attack,” the filing says. By 9:33 a.m., his group had breached the border; within half an hour, his phone was pinging inside Israeli territory.

The criminal complaint includes detailed evidence linking Al-Muhtadi to the NRB dating back years. One message from April 2019 shows him wearing a red NRB headband alongside other militants. Another message from December 2019 contains a photograph of an official NRB weapons form, signed by Al-Muhtadi himself. The document reads, “I, the Comrade: Mahmud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi… pledge to take all legal responsibility for the weapon in my trusteeship… property of the National Resistance Brigades.”

In September 2020, he boasted in a social media message, “This is my group,” while sharing a photograph of armed NRB fighters. When asked how many men were under his command, he replied, “I have 15 young men,” and sent a photo of himself posing with the group.

Despite these clear links to a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Al-Muhtadi was able to enter the United States in 2024 under the Biden Administration and obtain Legal Permanent Resident status. “Evidence further shows that Al-Muhtadi provided false information in his U.S. visa application relating to his involvement with a paramilitary organization, connection to Hamas, participation in a terrorist attack, and military training,” the complaint states.

Once in the U.S., he settled in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he found employment and continued using social media. The FBI says he even warned other extremists inside the United States to conceal their support for Hamas, writing that they should not post pictures of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar or other leaders because “the U.S. considers this terrorism.”

Federal agents also discovered that Al-Muhtadi had posted pictures of himself holding firearms while living in America.

The investigation was led by Special Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who concluded that Al-Muhtadi was “an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s military wing” directly involved in the October 7 invasion.

If convicted, Al-Muhtadi could face federal charges for immigration fraud, false statements, and providing material support to a designated terrorist organization.