On Saturday, December 27, the Italian State Police and the Financial Guard arrested seven Palestinians suspected of collecting millions of euros in support of Hamas. The Italian authorities also issued international arrests for two others, currently outside the country, who remain at large.

The leader of the Italian network has been identified as Mohammad Hannoun, a Genoa-based Palestinian architect, leader of the Association of Palestinians in Italy (API), who has been active on Italian soil since the early 1990s. The other arrested individuals are Raed Daoud, Raed al-Salahat, Yaser Elasaly, Riyad al-Bustanji. Khalil Abu Deiah, Adel Ibrahim Abu Rawwa, while Saleh Mohammed Abdu and former Hamas Minister of Transportation Osama Alisawi are still at large and wanted by the Italian police.

Three associations, officially supporting Palestinian civilians but allegedly serving as a front for funding Hamas, are also involved in the investigation (ABSPP, Golden Dome and The Palm). According to court papers, the nine individuals are accused of having financed approximately 7 million euros ($8 million) to associations owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas. While their official objective was to collect donations for humanitarian purposes for the Palestinian people, more than 71 percent was earmarked for the direct financing of Hamas or entities affiliated with the terror group, according to the investigators.

Moreover, the following day, 17 additional police searches were conducted in........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)