Trump Administration Cracks Down on Hamas in the US

While Hamas continues its forever war against Israel following its attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023, often ignored is how the Trump administration is combating Hamas’ growing threat to the U.S. — namely its fundraising and its growing inspiration for terrorism in the homeland.

To that end, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Saleem Al-Zaq, as well as the arrests of Omar Adhami, Abdel Adhami, and Raed Yousef, for their involvement in fundraising for Hamas. Additionally, the DOJ coordinated with France to arrest three additional associates of Al-Zaq in France: Faouzi Barika, Amel Oualid, and Nordine Barika.

The indictments and complaints, and statements by the DOJ and the Department of Treasury, allege the following:

Al-Zaq is a member of Hamas in Gaza, serving as both a battalion deputy in the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s terrorist arm, and as an employee of Hamas’ propaganda office. Al-Zaq has photographed Hamas events, including events led by senior Hamas leaders such as Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, and distributed those photos throughout Hamas. His social media posts have praised killed Hamas arch-terrorists Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar, praised the Al-Qassam Brigades as “martyrs,” and praised Hamas’ October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel.

Al-Zaq also operated fraudulent social media campaigns regarding humanitarian aid to Gazans, which he then used to fundraise for Hamas. Al-Zaq raised over $1.7 million in such fake campaigns, whose donors included people living in the United States.

In the U.S., Abdel Adhami and Omar Adhami of Louisiana donated to Al-Zaq’s Hamas financing network. Abdel Adhami allegedly contributed approximately $94,000, and Omar Adhami allegedly contributed approximately $11,000 to Hamas knowing that the organization engaged in terrorist activities, and attempted to conceal their contributions to Hamas through wire transfers, and the use of intermediaries. Yousef, a resident of Florida, provided almost $50,000 to Al-Zaq’s Hamas financing network.

Meanwhile, Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid, based in France, worked with Al-Zaq in running sham charities for Gazans. In total, Al-Zaq, Barika and Oualid raised over $2 million for Hamas in six years, $1.5 million of which was raised following October 7, 2023.

Al-Zaq, Omar Adhami and Abdel Adhami, and Yousef are each facing charges carrying jail time of at least 20 years. Barika and Oualid are each being designated pursuant to Executive Order (“E.O.”) 13224 (originally from 2001, as amended) for supporting Hamas.

The above are certainly not the only recent examples of the Trump administration mobilizing against Hamas and friends in the United States.