US prosecutors unveil intercepted calls showing Gaza fighter laughing during Oct. 7 assault
Federal court filings reveal that Mahmud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, laughing and coordinating weapons over phone calls.
In newly filed exhibits, U.S. prosecutors present intercepted telephone conversations that place Mahmud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi in active coordination of the Oct. 7 Hamas offensive on southern Israel. An 8:55 a.m. call shows al-Muhtadi and a participant called Abu Haytham exchanging details about rifles, ammunition and readiness, punctuated by laughter. A second call at 9:33 a.m. captures al-Muhtadi urging a caller to join him inside a location referred to as “Malaka’s,” while repeatedly warning others not to mention “Al-Qassam” and to turn off phones.
The transcripts are intended to compel the defense to disclose its own evidence at trial. Additional material includes a September 2024 online exchange after al-Muhtadi arrived in the United States, where an associate cautioned him about surveillance and alluded to the death of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. Al-Muhtadi entered the U.S. in September 2024 and was arrested in Louisiana in 2025 on immigration-fraud charges.
Why it matters
The evidence links a U.S. resident to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, raising security and legal implications.
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