(Sept. 16, 2026 / JNS) A Gaza terrorist whom U.S. prosecutors say took part in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel was captured in intercepted calls laughing and discussing rifles and ammunition while the attack was in progress, according to newly submitted federal court exhibits.
One transcript, filed Tuesday by prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, documents an 8:55 a.m. phone call involving Mahmud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi. Al-Muhtadi entered the United States in September 2024 and was arrested in Louisiana in 2025 on immigration fraud charges.
The Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel began at 6:30 a.m.
“How is the situation?” an individual identified in the transcript as Abu Haytham asks al-Muhtadi.
“Ok, what type of things do you have?” al-Muhtadi responds.
Abu Haytham says he had rifles but “no ammunitions.”
“Ok, are you ready?” al-Muhtadi asks.
“Yes, ready!” Abu Haytham replies.
“Ok, bring the rifles, and whatever you have,” al-Muhtadi instructs.
“Ok, bring ammunitions,” Abu Haytham says, as the transcript notes laughter.
“What?” al-Muhtadi replies.
“Man! That is not what I meant,” says Abu Haytham. “You are not normal.”
In a separate intercepted call from 9:33 a.m. filed by prosecutors, Al-Muhtadi laughed as he stated, “Ah, no, I went inside,” and told an unidentified caller to join him “at Malaka’s, inside.”
During the exchange, Al-Muhtadi repeatedly told those around him, “Be careful, don’t mention Al-Qassam! No one mentions Al-Qassam, boys,” and ordered, “Turn your phones off, boys.”
When the caller asked if he had “extra—ammunition and things,” Al-Muhtadi responded, “Yes, yes man. Yes. Yes.”
After the caller said, “So, I will come to you empty. I have nothing,” Al-Muhtadi instructed: “Just come, but if you can, secure a motorcycle to use it, in order to come inside?”
Prosecutors submitted the transcripts as an exhibit to a motion in limine seeking to compel the defense to provide transcripts of material it intends to use at trial.
Prosecutors say the calls support their allegation that al-Muhtadi directly participated in the Hamas-led assault.
Court exhibits also include a Sept. 18, 2024, online exchange after al-Muhtadi arrived in the United States.
An associate advised him not to contact “the resistance guys,” warning that he was “under surveillance for everything” and urging him not to publish anything.
“Um Amin, there is democracy here,” al-Muhtadi replied.
“If you post Al-Sinwar’s picture, no one will tell you anything,” in an apparent reference to Yahya Sinwar, who was the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the primary mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attacks against Israel, before he was killed by Israeli forces in October 2024.