America’s enemies are always looking for weak spots. But this is getting scary.
Because a violent terrorist infiltrated America and you won’t believe what happened next.
FBI’s Swift Justice: Arresting a Hamas October 7 Operative Hiding in America
In a decisive blow against international terrorism, the FBI arrested Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old Gazan native and Lafayette, Louisiana resident, on Thursday for his alleged direct role in the barbaric Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023—an attack that claimed over 1,200 innocent lives, including 49 Americans, and saw more than 250 people, including dozens of U.S. citizens, taken hostage. This stunning development, uncovered through the relentless work of the Justice Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), launched in February 2025 under Attorney General Pam Bondi, goes to show America’s unyielding commitment to rooting out those who threaten our allies and national security. Al-Muhtadi, who had fraudulently embedded himself in a quiet Louisiana community, now faces the full weight of U.S. law, serving as a stark warning that no terrorist can find safe harbor on American soil.
The arrest was the result of a multi-agency probe involving the FBI’s New Orleans field office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office—a testament to the seamless coordination that defines our law enforcement’s fight against radical threats. Inmate records confirm Al-Muhtadi’s detention at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center near Lafayette, where he awaits his initial federal court appearance before Magistrate Judge David J. Ayo on Friday morning. During the hearing, an interpreter translated the charges for him in real-time, highlighting the meticulous process to ensure due process even for those accused of such heinous acts. As of now, court records do not indicate whether Al-Muhtadi has secured legal counsel, but the case’s gravity leaves little doubt about the aggressive prosecution ahead.
Ties to Terror: Al-Muhtadi’s Alleged Role in the October 7 Massacre
The heart of the charges against Al-Muhtadi revolves around his deep entrenchment in terrorist networks, as detailed in a scathing FBI criminal complaint filed on October 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, authored by Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell. He stands accused of providing, attempting to provide, or conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization—specifically, the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), also known as the Martyr Umar al-Qasim Forces—the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), a Gaza-based paramilitary outfit that actively collaborated with Hamas during the onslaught. Additional counts include fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, charges that carry severe penalties and reflect the calculated deception he allegedly employed to infiltrate the United States.
“Al-Muhtadi is an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (‘DLFP’) military wing, the National Resistance Brigades (‘NRB’, also known as the ‘Martyr Umar al-Qasim Forces’), a Gaza-based paramilitary group that participated in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023,” the affidavit said. “Evidence shows that on the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi learned about the Hamas invasion, armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’s terrorist attack.”
Court documents paint a chilling picture of his actions that fateful morning. At 6:34 a.m.—mere minutes after Hamas’s rockets and paragliders pierced Israeli skies—Al-Muhtadi received a social media alert: “I see war.” Two minutes later, a follow-up text warned, “Hell opened its gates. It is very chaotic, and there will be no end, this time,” accompanied by a video of a Hamas fighter gliding toward the border. Undeterred, Al-Muhtadi sprang into motion, phone transcripts reveal: He urged contacts to “get ready” and declared, “the borders are open,” coordinating NRB fighters to bolster Hamas units in the incursion.
Irrefutable digital breadcrumbs tie him to the carnage: His phone pinged a cell tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the site of one of the attack’s most gruesome massacres, where Hamas terrorists slaughtered civilians, including at least four Americans, in a bloodbath that shocked the world. Social media and email forensics expose years of his Hamas-aligned activities, from firearms training in tactical gear—posing with rifles and a Glock handgun in an Oklahoma apartment—to overt paramilitary drills. This wasn’t a fringe sympathizer; it was a battle-hardened operative who commanded assaults on peaceful communities.
Deception and Infiltration: Visa Fraud and the Path to Lafayette
Al-Muhtadi’s audacious bid to evade justice hinged on brazen lies to U.S. authorities. On June 26, 2024, under the alias Mahmoud Almuhtadi from Cairo, he electronically signed a visa application riddled with fabrications: He denied any paramilitary ties, Hamas connections, terrorist involvement, or military training—omissions that secured his immigrant visa and Legal Permanent Resident status. By September 2024, he slipped across the border into America, settling in Lafayette where he blended into everyday life, working and residing undetected for over a year amid a community oblivious to his dark past.
“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 affidavit continued. “As a result of that false application, Al-Muhtadi was able to obtain permission to travel to the United States and obtain Legal Permanent Resident status. Al-Muhtadi is currently residing and working in Lafeyette, Louisiana,” it added.
This case exposes glaring vulnerabilities in our immigration vetting, raising alarms about how many more threats lurk unchecked—a rallying cry for the robust border reforms championed by the Trump administration. JTF 10-7’s discovery of Al-Muhtadi exemplifies the task force’s mission, building on Biden-era efforts but amplified under Bondi to hunt down every perpetrator, from Gaza tunnels to American suburbs.
Official Outrage and the Road Ahead: Protecting America from Terror’s Reach
The arrest has ignited fierce condemnation from top officials, framing it as a pivotal victory in the global war on terror. Attorney General Pam Bondi didn’t mince words: “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. 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.”
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg echoed the resolve: “As set forth in documents filed yesterday, on October 7, when Al-Muhtadi learned of the unfolding barbaric attack on Israel and civilians from multiple nations, including the United States, he sprang into action.” U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana added, “Let this arrest serve as a reminder both that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities and that state, local, and federal law enforcement… are working tirelessly to bring these people to justice.”
If convicted, Al-Muhtadi faces decades in federal prison, a fate befitting his alleged crimes and a deterrent to would-be infiltrators. This operation not only honors the victims of October 7 but fortifies America’s defenses, ensuring that the land of the free remains a fortress against fanaticism. As investigations deepen, one thing is clear: Under this administration, justice for terror’s architects is swift and unrelenting.
