Two residents of Pittsburg in Pennsylvania 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 operative.” The criminal complaint details that Hamad, a dual US-Lebanese citizen and a member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, purchased and tested explosive materials with the intention of causing harm.
Hamad, who showed support for extremist groups, allegedly donated to progressive Democrats known for their anti-Israel positions. He reportedly said he desired to die a martyr for Islam, sharing this with a known FBI informant through the encrypted messaging app Signal. In one message, he shared a photo of himself wearing a green headband with the Hamas logo and a sweatshirt that read, “Respect existence or expect resistance,” the NY Post reported.
Talya Lubit, Hamad’s alleged accomplice, is accused of spray-painting pro-Hamas graffiti on a synagogue and a Jewish community centre. In her communications, she referred to Jews as “enemies” and asked for her county council to pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire against Israel.
Jeremy Kazzaz, executive director of the Beacon Coalition, pointed out the troubling trend of anti-Israel sentiment infiltrating the Democratic Party. He told the NY Post, “In Pittsburgh, we’ve seen an infiltration of the Democratic Party by anti-Israel extremists who frequently target the Jewish community.” This particularly follows incidents of violence against Jewish students at the University of Pittsburgh this semester.
The complaint reveals that Hamad planned to conduct a practice run for an explosion and was excited about detonating explosive devices. Messages indicate he purchased 0.91 kg of aluminum powder and 0.91 kg of potassium perchlorate, materials commonly used in explosives.
Mr Kazzaz stressed the potential danger posed by the anti-Israel rhetoric from certain Democratic officials, suggesting that such rhetoric could embolden extremists. He said, “The way that Summer Lee views the world and has used her bully pulpit has legitimised these extremists.”
Both Hamad and Lubit have connections to the broader anti-Israel movement. Hamad reportedly donated to members of Congress who have publicly called for cease-fires.
“Jewish hatred can actually morph into dangerous situations and violence,” Mr Kazzaz said.