Pittsburgh trio lied to US Air Force, conspired to attack synagogue, per new federal indictment
The Justice Department is committed "to working alongside federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate crimes like these and to safeguard both the Jewish community and the public at large.”
Editor’s note: The Chronicle will be publishing a more detailed report. Check our website for additional coverage.
Three Pittsburgh residents conspired to deface a Jewish building, lied to the federal government about supporting terrorists and owned and detonated illegal explosives, according to a superseding indictment that a federal grand jury in the city returned on Tuesday, per the U.S. Justice Department.
The nine-count indictment—which amends a prior complaint—names Mohamad Hamad (23), Talya Lubit (24) and Micaiah Collins (22), the first two of whom were indictment previously for tagging a Jewish building with anti-Israel graffiti. (Some Justice Department releases refer to “Tayla” Lubit, although the indictment says “Talya.”)
Hamad is newly-accused of lying to the government when he sought top-secret level clearance while applying to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, part of the U.S. Air Force, in 2023. In his application, Hamad swore that he would “support and defend” the U.S. Constitution and the state “against all enemies, foreign and domestic” and that he would “bear true faith and allegiance to the same,” among other oaths.
But the 23-year-old told people privately at the same time that he was loyal to Lebanon, Hezbollah and Hamas, per the superseding indictment.
“In addition to his previously charged role in defacing Jewish religious property, he also conspired with others named in this superseding indictment to manufacture and detonate destructive devices,” stated Attorney Rivetti, acting U.S. attorney for the the Western District of Pennsylvania.
“Our office remains resolute in its commitment to working alongside federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate crimes like these and to safeguard both the Jewish community and the public at large,” Rivetti stated.
Per the amended indictment, Hamad told an Ohio resident that although he had joined the Air Force, it’s “still Palestine on top though make no mistake.” In another message, he allegedly wrote “don’t get me wrong, my dear, Lebanon, Palestine are my country and they are on top,” directing an expletive at “Israel and all her friends.”
He also wrote that the “combat skills” he was learning from the U.S. Air Force could help “in case something happens in my country or Palestine,” per the indictment. (Hamad is a Lebanese and U.S. citizen.)
Hamad also sent pro-Hamas messages to peers, including writing, just days after Oct. 7, 2023, that Israel “made the mistake of thinking we wouldn’t do anything when they kept killing us. U.S. Muslims never surrender or back down,” the Justice Department said. It added that Hamad told others that Hamas “is not a terrorist organization. It’s a resistance.” And that it consists of “freedom fighters.”
While working for the Air Force, Hamad made and detonated explosive devices with Collins, and he also sent someone a photo of himself wearing a Hamas-style headband, per the indictment. He also wore the headband while driving by the Chabad of Squirrel Hill to surveil it, and on or about July 27, 2024, he and Lubit talked on Signal about vandalizing “Jewish institutions.”
“During the conversation, Lubit agreed to ‘decorating Chabad’ and stated, ‘I can literally feel myself starting to see Jews as my enemies,’” per the indictment.
Hamad allegedly drove Lubit to the Chabad at about 1:45 a.m. on July 29, 2024, and Lubit spray painted “Jews 4 Palestine,” and an inverted triangle in red—a Hamas symbol for attack targets—on wall of the Chabad.
Hamad faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Collins faces up to five years in jail and the same maximum fine, while Lubit faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. PJC
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