Italian authorities arrest 9 alleged Hamas fundraisers
December 27 (UPI) — Nine people accused of raising more than $8 million to fund Hamas in Italy were arrested by Italian authorities.
The nine are accused of collecting $8.2 million in the last two years Funding for Hamas On October 7, 2023, it attacked Israeli civilians and started a war in Gaza.
“The operation completed this morning by the State Police and the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) is a very important and noteworthy operation, with the arrest of nine people, including the most prominent Mohammed Hannoun,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in a statement. he said. Publish on X on Saturday.
“Despite the necessary presumption of innocence, which must always be recognized at this stage, behind attempts to benefit the Palestinian people, the veil has been torn on behavior and activities that conceal support and participation in organizations with real terrorist goals of an Islamist nature,” Piantedosi said. he said.
“This is a danger to which our government pays utmost attention,” he said.
Following the attack on Israel by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in 2023, a joint investigation was launched by Italy’s anti-terrorism and financial police forces.
Investigators uncovered a fundraising system with headquarters in Genoa and partners in Milan, raising funds under the pretext of supporting Gazans.
The police statement said, “The suspects collected donations for the civilian population in Gaza.”
“However, it was revealed that 71 percent of these funds were transferred to Hamas’ coffers to finance Hamas’ military wing and support the families of suicide bombers or those arrested for terrorism,” police officials said. he said.
At the center of the investigation is Hannoun, who is president of the Italy-based Palestine Association and denies being a financier of Hamas.
The funds were allegedly raised by Hannoun and eight other defendants through three charities and laundered to conceal their true goals.
Hamas is considered a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and many other countries.
