By: Fern Sidman

A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has handed down a superseding indictment against three local residents accused of conspiring to deface Jewish religious property, lying to federal authorities about terror sympathies, and manufacturing illegal explosives. As reported by The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) on Thursday, the nine-count indictment—unsealed Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice—names Mohamad Hamad (23), Talya Lubit (24), and Micaiah Collins (22) in a disturbing case that has raised significant alarm in both Jewish and national security circles.

The Justice Department alleges that the three individuals not only vandalized a Jewish synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood but also espoused support for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah and Hamas, while plotting and executing violent actions with ideological motives. The JNS report indicated that Hamad, a dual U.S.-Lebanese citizen, faces the most severe charges, including allegations that he lied on his application for top-secret clearance with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, all while actively promoting extremist ideologies and engaging in acts of domestic sabotage.

Perhaps the most explosive revelation in the superseding indictment, detailed in the JNS report, is the accusation that Mohamad Hamad misrepresented his loyalties to the U.S. government while seeking to join the Air Force in 2023. In his application, Hamad swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution and to serve the country “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

But according to prosecutors, at the very same time, Hamad was privately declaring allegiance to Lebanon, Hamas, and Hezbollah—all while gaining access to military combat skills that he described as potentially useful in the event of future conflict involving “my country or Palestine.”

“It’s still Palestine on top though, make no mistake,” Hamad allegedly told an Ohio resident, per the indictment.

Hamad is also quoted as saying, “F*** Israel and all her friends,” while referring to Hamas not as a terrorist organization but as a movement of “freedom fighters.”

According to the information provided in the JNS report, shortly after the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Hamad wrote, “U.S. Muslims never surrender or back down.” He defended Hamas as a legitimate resistance force and not a terrorist entity, despite its official designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the U.S. State Department.

Beyond ideological alignment with terrorist groups, the defendants are accused of targeting Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, specifically Chabad of Squirrel Hill, in a calculated act of intimidation and hate, as per the report at JNS.

According to the indictment, Hamad and Lubit communicated via Signal about plans to vandalize Jewish institutions. During their exchange, Lubit allegedly remarked: “I can literally feel myself starting to see Jews as my enemies.”

JNS reported that on July 29, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., Hamad allegedly drove Lubit to the Chabad synagogue, where Lubit spray-painted “Jews 4 Palestine” and a red inverted triangle—the Hamas symbol for marking attack targets—on the building’s wall.

The act of vandalism came amid a national wave of antisemitic incidents following the Hamas attack and Israel’s military response, which JNS has documented extensively over the past year.

Beyond anti-Jewish hate crimes, the indictment reveals a more sinister dimension of the defendants’ activity: the manufacture and detonation of illegal explosive devices. According to prosecutors, Hamad and Collins conspired to create destructive weapons, detonating them on U.S. soil and sharing images of their activities.

Hamad even sent an image of himself wearing a Hamas-style headband, which he also allegedly wore while conducting surveillance of Jewish institutions—further underscoring what the JNS report described as a “pattern of ideologically motivated behavior” consistent with terrorist sympathizers.

Mohamad Hamad faces the most serious penalties: up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, due to the combination of lying to the government, supporting terror organizations, hate crimes, and explosive device charges.

Micaiah Collins faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, primarily for his role in manufacturing and detonating explosive devices.

Talya Lubit faces up to one year in jail and a $100,000 fine for her role in the anti-Semitic vandalism and associated conspiracy.

“This indictment reflects the dangerous convergence of domestic radicalization, antisemitic hate, and terrorist sympathies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Eric Rivetti, according to the information contained in the JNS report.

“Our office remains resolute in its commitment to working alongside federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate crimes like these and to safeguard both the Jewish community and the public at large,” Rivetti said.

The case comes at a time when U.S. Jewish communities remain on high alert amid rising antisemitic incidents linked to global conflicts and domestic extremism. As the JNS report indicated, federal agencies have stepped up enforcement and monitoring following directives issued by the Trump administration to combat antisemitism using every available legal tool.

The indictment against Hamad, Lubit, and Collins represents a chilling reminder of how foreign terrorist ideologies can find sympathizers within the United States, even among individuals entrusted with national defense responsibilities. This case is not simply about graffiti or false statements—it is about the systematic targeting of Jewish Americans by individuals who embraced the worldview and tactics of foreign terrorist organizations.

If convicted, the defendants will face substantial penalties. But beyond the courtroom, this case signals a growing need for vigilance, accountability, and moral clarity in the face of rising extremism masquerading as activism.