Gaza Man to Face Trial in Louisiana Over Oct. 7 Attack Allegations
A Gaza man accused of aiding Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack will stand trial in Louisiana in 2027.
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A Gaza man accused of helping Hamas carry out the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel is set to stand trial in Lafayette, Louisiana, on January 25, 2027. Federal prosecutors provided a transcript of a call made by Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi on the morning of the attack, in which he is identified as asking another man if he was ready and instructing him to bring rifles.
Arrest and Charges
Al-Muhtadi was arrested by federal agents in Lafayette on October 16, 2025, and faces charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, visa fraud, and conspiring to provide material support. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Cellphone Records and Testimonies
FBI agents cited cellphone records that show Al-Muhtadi’s phone connected to a tower near Kfar Aza, an Israeli community close to the Gaza border, during the attack. The attack resulted in the deaths of dozens of residents, including at least four Americans, and approximately 250 people were taken hostage.
Testimony and Courtroom Restrictions
U.S. District Judge David C. Joseph ruled that two Israel Security Agency personnel, an Israeli military witness, and an undercover FBI agent may testify under pseudonyms at Al-Muhtadi’s trial. The courtroom will be closed to the public during their testimony, though members of the public can listen from an overflow room. Al-Muhtadi’s defense opposed the request.
Group Allegations and Visa Fraud
Federal investigators allege that Al-Muhtadi belonged to the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which joined the Hamas-led attack. The FBI claims he took up arms after learning the assault was underway, recruited others, and crossed into southern Israel to help execute it.
Visa Application and Arrest
The visa allegations stem from an application Al-Muhtadi submitted in June 2024, where he allegedly provided false information about his ties to armed groups, military training, and his role in the Oct. 7 attack. U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show he entered the country on September 12, 2024, and was arrested on October 16, 2025.
Justice Department’s Efforts
The Justice Department’s Oct. 7 task force located Al-Muhtadi in the United States, and then-Attorney General Pamela Bondi formed the task force in February 2025 to investigate the attack. Bondi emphasized the importance of prosecuting those responsible for the attack, which was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Collaboration and Investigation
The FBI’s New Orleans field office worked on the case with assistance from Israeli authorities and Louisiana law enforcement.
Source: Breitbart
