A woman from New York has been apprehended after allegedly channeling significant sums of money to a Palestinian militant group. Accused of spearheading a radical extremist organization and being photographed holding hand grenades in front of a Hamas flag, she is now facing serious charges.
Catherine Beth Washburn, aged 37 and hailing from Irondequoit, near Rochester, has been indicted on charges of attempting to supply material assistance to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which is recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. A conviction could lead to a maximum of 20 years in a federal penitentiary, along with a $250,000 penalty.
According to the Justice Department, Washburn is identified as the leader of the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), a radical group established following Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The federal complaint highlights that DAMPL dismisses peaceful demonstrations in favor of “direct action,” which encompasses acts such as property destruction and sabotage targeting entities they consider linked to Israel.
Photographic evidence shows Catherine Beth Washburn posing with two hand grenades in front of a Hamas flag. (DOJ)
Communications recovered by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force revealed messages to a person claiming to be an active PIJ fighter in Gaza, where Washburn allegedly said she hated Jewish people “very much” and wished Israel “would disappear.”
“I wish every day were October 7th,” Washburn is accused of writing in one exchange. “If I lived in Gaza, I would fight alongside the resistance.”
Later, she allegedly said she felt “excited every time I see news of the killing of an occupation soldier.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters participate in a rally in Times Square in New York City, Oct. 13, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images, File)
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo said Washburn went to “great lengths” to finance violence, driven by “her self-described hate of Israel and Jewish people.”
Financial records show she sent roughly 80 cryptocurrency transfers totaling more than $30,000 to an account used by the PIJ fighter.
In a November 2025 message, she allegedly joked about the illicit activities, writing, “Based on my passed [sic] fundraising and posting Im [sic] gonna get put away for a few life times,” accompanied by a laughing emoji.
Catherine Beth Washburn is accused of texting with a terrorist and transferring funds. (Fox News, File)
FBI Counterterrorism Division Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky said anyone who provides assistance to violent organizations will be held responsible.
“This individual, as alleged in the criminal complaint, provided money to a foreign terrorist organization engaged in acts of violence,” Markovsky said. “The FBI is committed to cutting off funding to terrorist groups and will continue to work side-by-side with our Justice Department partners to make sure anyone who engages in terrorism or provides assistance to such organizations is held fully accountable in our justice system.”