Fled To US After October 7 Attack, Obtained Visa: How Hamas Fighter Landed In FBI Net

Last Updated:October 18, 2025, 12:12 IST

The FBI arrested Al-Muhtadi for allegedly joining the Hamas-led October 7 attack against Israel and lying on his US visa application.

Al-Muhtadi was arrested by FBI on October 16. (Image: Reuters/File)

The FBI has arrested a 33-year-old man, a native of Gaza currently living in Louisiana, for allegedly taking part in the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, and later lying about his background to fraudulently secure a US visa, according to the US Justice Department.

“After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7 — the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said.

“While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamas’s brutal attack, this Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens. We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms," she added.

According to an FBI criminal complaint, Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi armed himself and led a group from Gaza into southern Israel during the attack that left more than 1,200 people dead. Hamas fighters also abducted over 250 individuals, including several American citizens.

The complaint alleged that Al-Muhtadi is a member of the Gaza-based military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

On his US visa application, Al-Muhtadi denied involvement in terrorism and was granted permanent residency in 2024. According to US Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection records, the alleged Hamas fighter entered the US on September 12, 2024.

The agent sought an arrest warrant on October 6, though the complaint does not reveal when or where he was detained. He faces potential charges of visa fraud and conspiracy to support a foreign terrorist organisation.

Records indicate that a person matching his name and age is being held at St. Martin Parish Correctional Center near Lafayette, Louisiana, and was scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday, news agency AP reported.

The FBI alleges Al-Muhtadi’s social media and email accounts showed years of association with a Hamas-linked paramilitary group, including weapons training. On the morning of October 7, 2023, after Hamas commander Mohammed Deif urged “the masses" to join in, Al-Muhtadi told associates to “get ready" and “bring the rifles," adding, “there is kidnapping, and it’s a game, which will be a good one."

Investigators say his phone later utilised a cell tower located near Kfar Aza, one of the Israeli villages attacked that day.

Al-Muhtadi lived in Tulsa through May but by early June had relocated to Lafayette, where he worked for a local restaurant, AP reported, citing FBI.

The AP report further mentioned that an unidentified FBI agent repeatedly met him in Lafayette from July to September this year.

An associate warned Al-Muhtadi to avoid contacting the group or posting pro-Hamas content as he was under U.S. surveillance, but the FBI says he replied that he could post anything, even photos of Hamas leaders, without consequence.

Al-Muhtadi’s presence in the US was discovered by the Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7). Established in February 2025 by Attorney General Bondi, JTF 10-7 was created to spearhead the Justice Department’s ongoing probe into the perpetrators of the 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered by Hamas, including 49 US citizens, and approximately 250 additional people were abducted by Hamas, including 8 US citizens.

Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...Read More

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...

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