Pittsburgh man accused of pro-Hamas vandalism seeks release from federal custody
Mohamad Hamad was arrested in October 2024 in connection with antisemitic graffiti spray painted at both Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
A Pittsburgh man who identifies as a Hamas operative is asking a federal judge to release him from prison as he awaits trial on charges related to vandalism of local Jewish institutions and conspiring with another defendant to build bombs.
Mohamad Hamad, a dual citizen of the United States and Lebanon, was arrested in October 2024, along with Talya Lubit, in connection with antisemitic graffiti spray painted at both Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. In late April, the federal government announced a superseding indictment returned by a grand jury charging Hamad, Lubit and Micaiah Collins — the daughter of anti-Israel activist and local pastor Chad Collins — with conspiracy, defacing and damaging religious property, making false statements and the possession of destructive devices.
Lubit pled guilty to damaging religious property and conspiring to commit an offense against the United States and was sentenced in September to five years of probation and ordered to pay $10,534 in restitution.
At a May hearing, Hamad was detained without bail pending trial when U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Dodge determined that no conditions existed in which the safety of the community could be reasonably assured if he were released.
At the hearing, prosecutors alleged that Hamad “shared violent militant pro Hamas, pro Hezbollah content, including from the October 7 attacks of multiple murdered individuals. When he shared these videos, he stated things like ‘Us Muslims never surrender or back down’ and ‘Lebanon just smoked they ass.’
“He shared a video of children being indoctrinated with Hamas propaganda,” prosecutors said. “He threatened people online. He stated his desire for bullets to touch the foreheads of Zionists. He expressed a desire to fight and die as a martyr. He called himself a terrorist and a Hamas operative. He bragged about stealing flags and terrorizing residents while dressed as a Hamas operative. He spray painted a Hamas target on to a Jewish institution. He manufactured and tested explosives, including pipe bombs and explosives with shrapnel.”
Hamad argues in his motion to revoke the detention order that he is not a flight risk because he has family “and lifelong community ties” to western Pennsylvania. He further argues that he should be released pending trial because of his “alternating academic and employment history,” his lack of a previous criminal record and his “worsening medical condition while in custody.” No details regarding his alleged medical condition are disclosed in the motion.
The government has until Nov. 5 to respond to Hamad’s motion. PJC
Toby Tabachnick can be reached at ttabachnick@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
comments