US charges Hamas chief Sinwar, other leaders over Oct 7 attack on Israel

The charges in the criminal complaint filed in a federal court in New York City include “financing and directing a decades-long campaign to murder American citizens and endangering the security of the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B Garland in a video statement on Tuesday.

Garland said, “On October 7, Hamas terrorists, led by these defendants, murdered nearly 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians. This weekend, we learned that Hamas murdered an additional six people they had kidnapped and held captive for nearly a year, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23 year old Israeli American.

“We are investigating Hersh’s murder, and each and every one of Hamas’ brutal murders of Americans, as an act of terrorism. The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last,” the Attorney General said.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had condemned the death of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin who was laid to rest in Jerusalem two days after his body was recovered by Israeli defence forces in a tunnel in Gaza.

Other Hamas leaders charged include former leader Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran; Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of the organisation’s armed wing; Khaled Mashaal, who leads the group outside Gaza and the West Bank; along with Mohammed Deif and Ali Baraka.

According to US court documents, Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya, commonly known as Hamas, is a terrorist organisation that was founded in 1987, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) by the United States since 1997.

Yahya Sinwar, also known as Abu Ibrahim, 61, is the leader of Hamas. Previously, beginning in approximately 2017, he was the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and is one of the founders of the al-Qassam Brigades. Sinwar is based principally in the Gaza Strip.

Mohammad Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif and al Khalid al-Deif, was the commander in chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, a position he held from in or about 2002 until his reported death on or about July 13. Al-Masri was based principally in the Gaza Strip.

Marwan Issa, also known as Abu Baraa, was the deputy commander of the al-Qassam Brigades from approximately 2007 until his reported death on or about March 10. Issa was based principally in the Gaza Strip.

Khaled Meshaal, also known as Abu al-Waleed, 68, was the chairman of Hamas’ Politburo from approximately 2004 to 2017 and is now the head of Hamas’ diaspora office — effectively responsible for Hamas’ official presence outside of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Meshaal is based principally in Qatar.

Ali Baraka, 57, has been Hamas’ head of National Relations Abroad since approximately 2019, and was previously Hamas’s representative in Lebanon. Baraka is based principally in Lebanon.

First Published: Sep 04 2024 | 10:27 AM IST