Italian authorities have carried out a major operation coordinated by the Genoa Anti-Mafia District Directorate against a suspected terrorist cell linked to Hamas.
The State Police and the Guardia di Finanza implemented precautionary measures against the nine suspects, all of whom would be remanded in custody, and ordered the seizure of assets worth more than eight million euros.
Investigators accuse the suspects of being part of the Hamas organization and actively financing it.
According to the investigation, the funds collected were not primarily intended for humanitarian purposes, but were used to support the movement’s criminal activities, including attacks against civilians.
Around seven million euros were sent to Gaza and the Palestinian Territories to reinforce the group’s armed strategy.
At the center of the scheme are several associations, including the Beneficiary Association of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (ABSPP), headquartered in Genoa.
Mohammad Hannoun, identified as the key figure in the Italian cell, is said to have managed the fundraising by diverting over 71% of donations.
To evade international banking controls, the suspects allegedly created new acronyms, such as the “Golden Dome” association.
Otherwise, the investigation, which began after the attack of October 7, 2023, benefited from cooperation with the Dutch and Israeli authorities, allowing the monitoring of financial flows and the interception of communications.
Among the direct beneficiaries of the funds were prominent figures such as Osama Alisawi, a former minister in the Hamas government in Gaza.
The money was also used to support the families of terrorists involved in suicide attacks, thus guaranteeing the logistical and ideological continuity of the criminal structure. /Telegraph/