Mohamad Hamad, 23, and Talya Lubit, 24, have been charged with federal offenses related to the destruction of religious property and conspiracy to commit an act against the United States, as detailed in an affidavit that was made public on Wednesday.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, commenced a criminal investigation on July 29 following reports of vandalism at the properties of Chabad and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
Hamad, who identified himself as a “Hamas operative,” was a member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard stationed in proximity to Pittsburgh International Airport, as stated in the criminal complaint. He acquired and conducted tests on explosive substances intended for a fireball.
Lubit who has been accused of collaborating with Hamad in the act of defacing a synagogue and a Jewish community center with pro-Hamas graffiti, referred to Jews as “enemies.” She also urged the county council to adopt a contentious ceasefire resolution against Israel and participated in a letter supporting Rep. Summer Lee, a member of Pittsburgh’s anti-Israel Squad, who recently attributed blame to Israel for the Hamas October 7 terror attack.
The complaint charges that, from in and around July 2024 through on or about July 29, 2024, Hamad and Lubit conspired with each other to commit an offense against the United States—specifically, a civil rights violation involving damage to religious real property. Hamad and Lubit are further charged with defacing the religious real property of Chabad of Squirrel Hill, which occupies a synagogue building, because of the racial and ethnic characteristics of the Jewish individuals associated with Chabad, in violation of federal law.
The FBI received reports from Chabad and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh of overnight vandalism at their respective properties.
Chabad, which occupies a building for Jewish religious services in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, reported that an exterior wall at the front of the property had been defaced with graffiti. Specifically, the words “Jews 4 Palestine” with an inverted triangle were spray-painted onto the exterior of the building with red paint. The inverted triangle, according to the affidavit, first appeared in videos posted online by Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization, of the current fighting in Gaza where it was used to mark an Israeli target about to be attacked by Hamas fighters.
The investigation also revealed, according to the affidavit, that shortly after the vandalism occurred at the Chabad building, another message was spray-painted on an exterior sign for the Jewish Federation, a non-profit organization that serves as the central fundraising and community relations arm of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh.
Search warrants were executed in August and September 2024 at both defendants’ residences. Hamad’s and Lubit’s cell phones were seized, and a review of the contents revealed, among other things, messages during July 2024 between Hamad and Lubit during which they planned their vandalism activities and specifically discussed selecting Jewish targets. A review of Hamad’s phone also revealed that in the weeks leading up to the vandalism on July 29, Hamad referred to himself as a “Hamas operative,” sent a picture of himself wearing a headband with the Hamas logo to another associate, and exchanged messages with another individual regarding building an explosive device, including a video of a test detonation in early July 2024.
