American man who claimed to be a Hamas operative arrested for hate crimes

Two Pittsburg, Pennsylvania residents have been arrested on hate crime charges related to the vandalism of Jewish buildings in July. Mohamad Hamad, one of the two arrested, identified himself as a “Hamas agent”. The criminal complaint details that Hamad, a dual US-Lebanese citizen and member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, purchased and tested explosive materials with intent to cause harm.

Hamad, who has shown support for extremist groups, reportedly donated to progressive Democrats known for their anti-Israel positions. He said he wanted to be a martyr for Islam, sharing this with a known FBI informant via the encrypted messaging app Signal. In one message, he shared a photo of himself wearing a green band with the Hamas logo and a hoodie that read: “Respect existence or expect resistance.” NY Post reported.

Talya Lubit, Hamad’s alleged accomplice, is accused of spray-painting pro-Hamas graffiti on a synagogue and a Jewish community center. In her communications, she referred to Jews as “enemies” and called for her county council to pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire against Israel.

Jeremy Kazzaz, executive director of the Beacon Coalition, pointed to the troubling trend of anti-Israel sentiment seeping into the Democratic Party. He told the NY Post, “In Pittsburgh, we have seen an infiltration of the Democratic Party by anti-Israel extremists who frequently target the Jewish community.” This notably follows incidents of violence against Jewish students at the University of Pittsburgh this semester.

The complaint alleges that Hamad planned to conduct a drill for an explosion and was excited about detonating explosive devices. The messages indicate that he bought 0.91 kg of aluminum powder and 0.91 kg of potassium perchlorate, materials commonly used in explosives.

Mr. Kazzaz pointed to the potential danger of anti-Israel rhetoric from some Democratic officials, suggesting that such rhetoric could embolden extremists. He said: “The way Summer Lee sees the world and has used her bully pulpit has legitimized these extremists.”

Both Hamad and Lubit have ties to the wider anti-Israel movement. Hamad allegedly donated to members of Congress who publicly called for a ceasefire.

“Jewish hatred can actually turn into dangerous situations and violence,” Mr. Kazzaz said.