Nine Arrested in Italy for Allegedly Funding Hamas with Millions
Italian authorities arrested nine individuals suspected of funneling approximately €7 million to Hamas under the guise of humanitarian aid, according to police reports. The suspects are accused of raising the funds over a period of more than two years, ostensibly as humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, but instead sending it to the militant group through a "complex fundraising system," according to a police statement.
The arrests were the result of a joint initiative between Italy's counter-terror police and financial police. In addition to the arrests, police seized more than €8 million in assets as part of the investigation, BBC World reported. The suspects are "specifically accused of carrying out financing operations believed to have contributed to terrorist activities."
The investigation was triggered by suspicious financial activity preceding the October 7th attack, according to a BBC World multi-source report. This highlights the complex challenges in detecting and preventing the misuse of charitable donations for terrorist financing, prompting increased scrutiny of international financial networks.
The investigation is ongoing.
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