In a case that has sent shockwaves through both national security circles and political corridors, federal prosecutors have unsealed a criminal complaint against Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old Gazan native now facing explosive allegations of participating in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel before fraudulently gaining legal status in the United States. The 44-page complaint, filed on October 6, 2025, in the Western District of Louisiana, lays out a detailed narrative of al-Muhtadi’s alleged journey from the chaos of the Middle East to a quiet life in the American South—until his dramatic arrest by the FBI in early October 2025.
According to court records cited by The Tampa Free Press and Fox News, al-Muhtadi was a member of the National Resistance Brigades, the militant arm of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). The complaint, signed by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell, asserts, “Evidence shows that on the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi learned about the Hamas invasion, armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’s terrorist attack.” Investigators allege his phone was connected to an Israeli cell tower near a kibbutz where, tragically, more than 60 civilians lost their lives that day.
The October 7 attack, carried out by Hamas and affiliated groups, was a watershed moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, killing over 1,200 people and resulting in approximately 250 hostages being taken into Gaza. As Fox News reports, Israeli officials have described it as the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. The violence sparked a war in Gaza that has, according to international estimates, claimed tens of thousands of lives and left the region in ongoing turmoil.
Al-Muhtadi’s alleged role in the attack is laid out in chilling detail. The FBI claims he exchanged messages on the morning of October 7, instructing others to “bring the rifles” and a bulletproof vest, and telling another fighter to “get ready.” These communications, prosecutors say, place him at the very heart of the operation. “He crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023,” the FBI stated, as reported by Fox News.
Yet, in a twist that has ignited fierce debate in Washington, al-Muhtadi is accused of subsequently obtaining a U.S. immigrant visa by lying on his application, filed in Cairo. According to the unsealed complaint, he denied any involvement with militant groups or terrorist activities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records show that he entered the country through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on September 12, 2024, almost a year after the attack. Once in the U.S., he reportedly lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Lafayette, Louisiana, working in car repairs or food services. FBI agents later discovered social media images of him posing with a Glock handgun alongside his children.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi did not mince words in a press release following his arrest: “After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7 — the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.” The case, she explained, falls under a Justice Department task force established in March 2025 to identify and prosecute individuals connected to the October 7 massacre.
Al-Muhtadi is expected to appear before Magistrate Judge David J. Ayo for an initial hearing on Friday, October 17, 2025. The proceedings are being closely watched by both federal law enforcement and lawmakers, who see the case as a test of the nation’s ability to detect and respond to terror threats that cross international borders.
The political fallout has been swift and intense. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., addressed the case on national television, telling Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing,” “I had no idea. It’s alarming to all of us, but I’m certainly glad that we have an administration who is prioritizing rounding up these dangerous people. It’s a great relief to a lot of folks down there.” Johnson, along with other Republican leaders, has been a frequent critic of the former Biden administration’s border and immigration policies. He placed the blame for al-Muhtadi’s entry squarely on what he described as “wide-open” border policies, warning, “We know that terrorists got across the border, and I don’t think anybody on planet Earth can discern exactly how many. We’ll be living with the threat and the ramifications of that open border, probably for the rest of our lives.”
Republicans have seized on the case as evidence of systemic flaws in the nation’s immigration system. As Fox News notes, a recent Pew Research Center study found that the “unauthorized immigrant population” in the U.S. rose to a record 14 million in 2023. Critics argue that this surge, combined with what they see as lax vetting procedures, creates openings for individuals with violent or extremist backgrounds to slip through the cracks. “They had a wide-open border,” Johnson asserted, adding that the impacts could last for decades to come.
On the other side of the debate, some voices have cautioned against drawing sweeping conclusions from a single high-profile case. Immigration advocates argue that the overwhelming majority of those seeking refuge or a new life in the United States pose no threat to national security. They warn that politicizing such incidents risks undermining the nation’s long-standing tradition of offering sanctuary to those fleeing violence and persecution. Still, the case of al-Muhtadi has become a rallying point for those demanding stricter scrutiny of visa applications and more robust enforcement at the nation’s borders.
The Justice Department’s task force, set up in March 2025, is part of a broader effort to address the fallout from the October 7 attacks. Its mandate includes not only prosecuting individuals directly involved in the violence but also identifying any who may have entered the U.S. under false pretenses. The case against al-Muhtadi, with its mix of international intrigue and domestic vulnerability, has become emblematic of the challenges facing law enforcement in an era when terror threats can move quickly across continents.
For now, the eyes of the nation—and indeed, much of the world—remain fixed on the unfolding legal drama in Louisiana. As al-Muhtadi prepares for his day in court, questions linger about how he was able to enter the United States, what more could have been done to prevent it, and what the case portends for the future of American security and immigration policy. One thing is certain: the ramifications of this arrest are likely to resonate far beyond the walls of the courthouse, influencing debates about safety, justice, and the balance between openness and vigilance for years to come.
