Hamas sympathizer Mohamad Hamad denied bail

Following a two-day detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Dodge ordered Mohamad Hamad held without bail pending trial, saying no conditions existed in which the safety of the community could be reasonably assured if he were released.

Hamad was arrested in October, along with Talya Lubit, in connection with antisemitic vandalism that was spray painted at both Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

At the time of his arrest, Hamad, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Lebanon, was granted home release. In March, Hamad filed a motion to modify the conditions of his release, asking the court to lift the home detention requirement and instead impose a curfew along with the continuance of electronic monitoring. That request was denied.

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In late April, the federal government announced a superseding indictment returned by a grand jury charging Hamad, Lubit and Micaiah Collins with conspiracy, defacing and damaging religious property, making false statements and possession of destructive devices.

Several new pieces of information were revealed during the detention hearing, including that the FBI was concerned Hamad, a member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard who was seeking top secret clearance, might target a military training exercise with explosives.

Hamad, the government contended, joined the National Guard to learn combat skills hoping to utilize them as a Hamas operative. The defendant, government attorneys alleged, called himself a terrorist and stole Israeli flags from community members. Hamad also allegedly said bullets should “touch the forehead of Zionists” and that he wanted to die a martyr.

FBI Special Agent Gregory Battaglia told the court Hamad had threatened his own family members, including his parents, and that pro-Hamas videos were found on his social media accounts and in messages to friends.

An open question at the hearing was whether Hamad has a Lebanese passport. The FBI was unable to find one, but Hamad previously testified that one existed. He later recanted that testimony, saying he was confused and that his father handled the family’s passports.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt said Hamad lied during his background check for the military, claiming allegiance to the United States while stating on social media he was loyal to Lebanon and Palestine. He also bragged about his ability to evade law enforcement, she said.

During the hearing, prosecutors said Hamad attended the Valley View Presbyterian Church in Garfield 10 times beginning in February 2025. Hamad’s co-defendant Michaiah Collins’ father, Chad Collins, is a pastor at the church.

While acknowledging that anyone can worship anywhere, Dodge called the timing of Hamad’s attendance at Valley View Church “interesting,” noting that it coincided with the delivery of subpoenas for the grand jury that ultimately led to the indictment of Hamad and his co-defendants, and an effort to have those subpoenaed resist testifying.

Some members of the Collins family have a history of anti-Israeli activism. Chad Collins’ daughter Nesta Collins was arrested for obstructing law enforcement and disorderly conduct at an anti-Israeli encampment at the University of Pittsburgh last year.

In addition to his pastoral duties with Valley View Presbyterian Church, Chad Collins is a national organizer with Friends of Sabeel North America, an anti-Israel, pro-BDS organization. He was at the anti-Israel protest and encampment on Pitt’s campus following Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on the Jewish state.

Chad Collins served as a spokesperson at a press conference following the dismantling of an anti-Israel encampment.

He also was an organizer of the Rev. Munther Isaac’s visit to Pittsburgh last summer.

Isaac is a Palestinian Christian pastor who was called “the high priest of antisemitic Christianity” by the Rev. Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders.

“He spreads hate from the city of Jesus’ birth,” Moore told Jewish Insider.

While in Pittsburgh, Isaac met with and was photographed with Collins, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Rep. Summer Lee.

Collins also has made spurious claims, publicly stating that Jesus was Palestinian and that there are “many Palestinians who are Jewish.” He recently shared information about a fundraising event for Gainey’s reelection, writing, “Help us defeat AIPAC AGAIN!!!!!”

Neither AIPAC nor the super PAC United Democracy Project, participates in local or state elections.

Following Hamad’s detention hearing, the Chronicle contacted the Pittsburgh Presbytery, of which Valley View Presbyterian Church is a member. The presbytery provides resources, and advises and assists “members through challenges and transitions,” according to its website.

General Minister Jessia McClure Archer said in an email that the presbytery is committed to love, peace and reconciliation “for all people, across all differences.”

“We remain committed to ecumenical and interfaith partnerships and unequivocally denounce violence and intimidation in every form, regardless of who is involved. Our faith compels us to uphold the God-given dignity of every human being and to defend the freedom of all people to worship and live without fear.”

McClure Archer said that a May 12 meeting between a variety of Christian and Jewish leaders and partners was being organized through the Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Christian Associates Executive Minister the Rev. Liddy Barlow said she is coordinating the meeting at the request of the presbytery, and that the meeting was being organized because it is clear “that this situation caused harm to our Jewish neighbors.”

“I think it’s really important for the Christian community to stop and listen and to make whatever moves are possible towards repair,” Barlow said.

When news of the superseding indictment was shared on social media, the Rev. Canon Natalie Hall at Church of the Redeemer in Squirrel Hill posted about the incident, writing, “Our Jewish friends and neighbors are upset and frightened for their safety. It is difficult to live in a state of constant vigilance. Members at my church are reaching out to Jewish friends, neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances this week to check in — maybe even have a cup of coffee for conversation.”

Hall told the Chronicle it is important to stand up “for the sake of our neighbors.” She said she has spoken with many individuals who, since the arrests have come to light, “have found it possible to hold multiple difficult truths in the same space at the same time.”

“These are not people who are going to magically go all in supporting everything the state of Israel does,” she said. “They have complicated feelings about it much the same way they all have complicated feelings about our own government. I think it’s refreshing to hear people come to understand that it’s possible to hold these multiple facets of a really complex situation in the same space and in the middle of that directly support friends, neighbors and colleagues.”

Both Lubit and Collins were released pending trial.

The Chronicle contacted both Gainey and Lee for comment but received no response from either official prior to publication. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.