NEW: Alleged October 7 Attacker With Hamas Ties Arrested In U.S.
An alleged Hamas-linked terrorist who took part in the murder of 60 civilians at an Israeli kibbutz during the October 7 attacks in 2023 has been arrested by federal authorities in Louisiana, marking the first of its kind case in the United States.
Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub Al-Muhtadi, 33, was apprehended in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he had been living and working after lying on visa documents about ties to terrorist groups, according to a criminal complaint.
He armed himself, recruited additional marauders, and then entered Israel, where there is evidence placing him near one of the worst-hit Israeli communities,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Subsequently, Al-Muhtadi fraudulently obtained a visa to enter the United States where he hoped to remain undetected. This arrest is the first public step in bringing to justice those responsible for harming Americans on that day.”
Al-Muhtadi, pictured on the left, is accused of participating in the October 7 terrorist attacks
Photo: U.S. Department of Justice
According to court documents, Al-Muhtadi is an operative for the 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), a Gaza-based paramilitary group that participated in the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on October 7.
According to the criminal complaint, Al-Muhtadi learned about the ongoing incursion into Israeli territory and proceeded to rally a group of fighters to join in the attack. According to the complaint, Al-Muhtadi’s phone utilized a cell tower located near Kibbutz Kfar Aza in Israel – the location of a horrifying massacre that resulted in at least 60 deaths, including four American citizens.
In addition, Al-Muhtadi allegedly 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. Al-Muhtadi swore to the accuracy of numerous materially false statements in his visa application with respect to at least his affiliation with DFLP, the NRB, and Hamas, his training, and his involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.
According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection records, the suspected terrorist entered the United States on September 12, 2024. Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) and the FBI New Orleans Field Office are currently investigating the case, which was brought by the U.S. attorney’s office in the Western District of Louisiana.
Established in February 2025 by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, JTF 10-7 was created to investigate the perpetrators of the October 7 attacks, which killed 1,200 people, including 49 U.S. citizens. An additional 250 people were abducted by Hamas, the last of whom remaining in Palestinian territory were released last week under the Trump-negotiated ceasefire agreement.