Alleged Hamas supporter detained in Louisiana
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, joined the “Sunday Briefing” to discuss the arrest of an alleged Hamas-supporting attacker in Louisiana, a state under an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, and the release of George Santos from prison.
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FIRST ON FOX: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, are sounding the alarm on the Trump administration after a man allegedly involved in The terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023 was detained in Louisiana.
Johnson and Scalise, both from Louisiana, led the Republican delegation in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem about the case of Mahmoud Amin Yaqub al-Muhtadi.
They asked for a briefing from Bayou State lawmakers as well as information on any other potential terrorist threats, which they blamed on a record increase in illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border under former President Joe Biden.
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Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise are leading Louisiana Republicans in demanding answers about a suspected Hamas-linked terrorist arrested in their state last week. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; FBI Affidavit; Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“We appreciate the work you do to keep Americans safe here at home and are writing to you as members of the Louisiana Congressional delegation asking for information about how Mahmoud Amin Yaqub al-Muhtadi came to live in Lafayette, Louisiana, after entry into the United States in 2024 during the Biden Administration's dangerous open border policies,” the Louisiana lawmakers wrote.
They cited publicly available information and reports that “Al-Muhtadi allegedly participated in the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, and entered the United States the following year after falsely concealing his affiliation on a visa application.”
“He later lived and worked in Lafayette, Louisiana, before being taken into federal custody,” they wrote. “We also want to stay informed about any additional terrorist threats in our state due to President Biden’s dangerous and deadly immigration policies.”
The letter is also signed by Louisiana Republican Party Representatives Julia Letlow and Clay Higgins, as well as Senators John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy.
According to the FBI, Mahmoud Amin Yaqub Al-Muhtadi, pictured at left, “crossed into Israel with the intent of assisting in a Hamas terrorist attack” on October 7, 2023. (Ministry of Justice)
The Justice Department, which announced Al-Muhtadi's arrest late last week, said he entered the country under false pretenses on Sept. 12, 2024.
The department's press release accused the 33-year-old of belonging to the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), a Gaza-based group that he said took part in the attack along with Hamas.
Israel's covert campaign targets Hamas terrorists behind October 7 massacre
“As stated in the documents filed yesterday, October 7, when al-Muhtadi learned of the unfolding barbaric attack against Israel and civilians from several countries, including the United States, he took action,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
“He armed himself, recruited additional looters, and then entered Israel, where there is evidence that he was near one of the hardest hit Israeli communities.”
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Was few reported cases people suspected of involvement in terrorism entering the country under the supervision of the previous administration.
Last March, a 22-year-old with ties to Hezbollah was caught by border agents in Texas and immediately taken into federal custody, according to police. New York Post. He was deported earlier this year.
Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for a response but did not immediately receive a response.
