Trump’s DOJ cracks down on Hamas with new task force
The Justice Department has launched a new task force aimed at bringing justice to the victims of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the formation of Joint Task Force October 7, which will focus on identifying, charging, and prosecuting those responsible for the attack that claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people, including 47 U.S. citizens. Additionally, Hamas took more than 250 people hostage, including eight U.S. citizens.
The task force will specifically investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations committed by individuals who have provided support and financial backing to Hamas, as well as other related Iranian proxies. The group will also look into instances of antisemitism perpetuated by these organizations. Bondi emphasized that the terrorists of Hamas will face consequences for their barbaric actions.
Leading the task force will be a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, along with a senior FBI special agent serving as the task force commander and an FBI intelligence analyst as the deputy commander. The team will consist of FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who will work on investigating and prosecuting domestic and international terrorism cases. The FBI will also embed agents within Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Financing and collaborate with foreign counterparts through the Legal Attaché office in Israel.
The efforts of the task force will build upon the Justice Department’s existing investigations into the October 7 attack and further the agency’s mission to hold Hamas supporters accountable. The announcement of the task force coincides with the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, an anti-Israel activist who played a prominent role in protests against Israel at Columbia University. Khalil, a Palestinian raised in Syria and a U.S. permanent resident, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 9.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that Khalil was actively involved in activities aligned with Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the administration would revoke the green cards of any Hamas supporters in the U.S. and deport them. White House officials revealed that Khalil is being investigated as a potential national security threat due to his antisemitic social media posts and organization of antisemitic protests on Columbia’s campus.
Khalil’s attorneys have challenged the actions taken by the Trump administration, claiming that ICE violated his constitutional rights. The investigation into Khalil continues, with the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department collaborating to assess the extent of his involvement with Hamas and the threat he may pose to national security.
In conclusion, the new task force established by the Justice Department underscores the commitment to bringing justice to the victims of terrorism and holding accountable those who support terrorist organizations like Hamas. The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil highlights the government’s efforts to address threats to national security and combat antisemitism within the United States.
