US court records capture Gazan terrorist laughing during Oct. 7 massacre

Prosecutors say the calls support their allegation that al-Muhtadi directly participated in the Hamas-led assault.

By JNS

A Gaza terrorist who U.S. prosecutors allege joined the Hamas assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, can be heard in intercepted telephone calls laughing and discussing weapons and ammunition as the attack was underway, according to newly filed federal court exhibits.

One of the transcripts, filed on Tuesday by prosecutors in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, records an 8:55 a.m. call involving Mahmud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, who 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 interlocutor identified in the transcript as Abu Haytham asks al-Muhtadi.

“Ok, what type of things do you have?” al-Muhtadi replies.

Abu Haytham responds that he had rifles but “no ammunition.”

“Ok, are you ready?” al-Muhtadi asks.

“Yes, ready!” Abu Haytham answers.

“Ok, bring the rifles, and whatever you have,” al-Muhtadi instructs.

“Ok, bring ammunition,” Abu Haytham says, with the transcript indicating 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.