In a case that has sent shockwaves through both national security circles and the broader American public, the FBI has arrested Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a 33-year-old native of Gaza and recent Louisiana resident, on charges of participating in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequently lying on his U.S. visa application to obtain legal residency. The arrest, made in Lafayette, Louisiana, on October 16, 2025, has reignited fierce debate over U.S. visa vetting procedures and the challenges of screening for potential national security threats.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed this week and detailed by multiple news outlets including the Associated Press, ABC News, and The New York Times, Al-Muhtadi is accused of arming himself and organizing a group of fighters to cross from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel during the October 7 assault. The attack, orchestrated by Hamas and its allies, left more than 1,200 people dead and resulted in the kidnapping of over 250 individuals—including dozens of American citizens. The complaint, prepared by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell, asserts that Al-Muhtadi was an operative of the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a group aligned with Hamas and designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
On the morning of the attack, after Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif called for action, Al-Muhtadi reportedly told his associates to “get ready” and “bring the rifles,” referencing planned kidnappings as “a game, which will be a good one,” according to phone calls reviewed by the FBI and cited in the complaint. Investigators tracked his phone to a cell tower near Kfar Aza, an Israeli village where dozens of residents were killed and approximately 19 kidnapped during the raid.
After the attack, Al-Muhtadi fled Gaza and, in June 2024, submitted an electronic U.S. visa application at the embassy in Cairo. On the application, he claimed to have never participated in paramilitary or terrorist activities and indicated plans to live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, working in car repairs or food services. U.S. Customs and Border Protection records show he entered the country via Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on September 12, 2024, during the Biden administration. He became a legal permanent resident the same year, a fact that has become a political flashpoint in the ongoing debate over immigration and border security.
Initially, Al-Muhtadi settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he lived through May 2025 before relocating to Lafayette, Louisiana. There, he found work at a local restaurant, according to the FBI and reports from ABC News and KATC. His presence in the United States was eventually discovered by the Justice Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), a unit established in February 2025 by Attorney General Pamela Bondi to spearhead investigations into the perpetrators of the 2023 terrorist attack on Israel.
The FBI alleges that Al-Muhtadi’s social media and email accounts revealed years of affiliation with Hamas-aligned paramilitary groups, including evidence of weapons training and open support for Hamas leaders. Despite warnings from associates to avoid contacting former group members or posting pro-Hamas content while under surveillance, Al-Muhtadi reportedly replied that he could “post whatever he wanted, including pictures of Hamas leaders,” and would remain safe.
From July to September 2025, Al-Muhtadi was under close FBI surveillance in Lafayette. An unidentified FBI agent met with him repeatedly during this period, and agents continued to collect evidence of his past activities and affiliations. On October 16, 2025, he was arrested and taken to St. Martin Parish Correctional Center, near Lafayette. He was scheduled to appear in federal court the following morning, October 17, 2025. As of yet, no defense attorney has been listed in court filings on his behalf.
Al-Muhtadi now faces federal charges of visa fraud and conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, the penalties could be severe. The Justice Department’s complaint details how he allegedly lied on his visa application, denying any involvement in terrorist activities or paramilitary organizations, despite evidence to the contrary.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi has been outspoken about the case, emphasizing the Justice Department’s commitment to prosecuting those responsible for the October 7 attack. “While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamas’s brutal attack, this Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens,” Bondi said. She added, “We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also weighed in, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Justice will be served,” and suggesting that Al-Muhtadi might become “Louisiana Lockup’s newest resident,” referring to the state’s newly opened immigration detention wing at its maximum security prison. The FBI, citing the ongoing government shutdown, declined to provide further details to reporters from the Associated Press.
The timing and circumstances of Al-Muhtadi’s visa application have become a focal point in the political debate over U.S. immigration policy. Critics of the Biden administration have pointed to the case as evidence of vulnerabilities in the vetting process, arguing that more stringent background checks are needed to prevent similar incidents. Supporters of the administration, however, note that the system ultimately worked—the FBI identified, tracked, and apprehended Al-Muhtadi before he could pose a further threat on U.S. soil.
The attack on October 7, 2023, remains a searing memory for many, described by Bondi as “the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.” The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 continues to pursue leads on others suspected of involvement, both in the U.S. and abroad. The release of the 20 remaining hostages this week as part of a tenuous ceasefire has brought some relief, but the scars of that day continue to shape policy and public sentiment.
As the case against Al-Muhtadi moves forward, it stands as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges facing U.S. immigration and national security agencies in a world where the lines between international conflict and domestic safety are increasingly blurred.