Pro-Palestinian activist arrested for kidnapping, assaulting man for working for Jewish employer

Pro-Palestinian activist Laura Allam was charged with kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal detention, assault, and battery against a 31-year-old man, the Algemeiner reported on Tuesday. Allam, 28, was reported to have targeted her victim based on his employ by a Jewish man. 

The abduction and subsequent assaults occurred on February 16 in Melbourne, the source reported.

Prominent Pro-Hamas Activist in Australia Arrested on Kidnapping and Torture ChargesLaura Allam was accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and torture of a man whose perceived offense was to work for a Jewish employer.By @BenCohenOpinion https://t.co/hioveiNWd5

— Algemeiner (@Algemeiner) February 27, 2024

“It’s alleged a man was pulled from a car near the intersection of Gladstone and Cleveland streets about 9.30 pm,” Melbourne’s police statement recorded, as cited by media reports. “He was then allegedly placed in another car and assaulted and robbed before being released in Braybrook.” 

The victim was sad to have required treatment in hospital for injuries sustained in the “horrific kidnapping and torture.”

About Laura Allam

Allam, according to Algemeiner’s reports, is a member of Australia’s Lebanese community and publicized online that she is employed as the CEO of an Islamic relief charity called the Al Jannah Foundation. However, further investigations suggest that the foundation ceased operations in 2023.

Social media accounts under Allam’s name show frequent anti-Israel posts.

On October 8, a day after Hamas invaded Israel and murdered over 1200 people, Allam reportedly posted she had “woken up to some great news from our beloved Palestine.”

In an Instagram post, made shortly before her arrest and the closure of her social media, screenshots, and media reports show that an account under her name posted “[T]here are words that burn the wildest flames in the deepest pits of my heart and will only ever be extinguished when Allah takes the ‘haqq’ (truth) from every single oppressor to walk this earth.”

The Australian Jewish Association, while sharing an article about Allam’s case, stated X reading “KIDNAP AND TORTURE, ANTISEMITIC MOTIVE[.]

“What is happening to Australia is horrific.

“Well-known anti-Israel activist has been arrested on allegations of arranging kidnap and torture of a man BECAUSE HE WORKED FOR A JEW!

“AJA has more information but for some reason, there is a court suppression order.

“We will tell you the accused has campaigned alongside Sen Mehreen Faruqi of the antisemitic Greens party."

“We are also extremely concerned that the Australian Labor government is currently importing many people who may have similar attitudes and may be capable of similar actions.”

KIDNAP AND TORTURE, ANTISEMITIC MOTIVEWhat is happening to Australia is horrific.Well known anti-Israel activist has been arrested on allegations of arranging kidnap and torture of a man BECAUSE HE WORKED FOR A JEW!AJA has more information but for some reason there is a… pic.twitter.com/6NgwhHpJNL

— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) February 27, 2024

Speaking to the Jerusalem Post, AJA President David Adler said that details of the case had been made private by a court suppression. 

On the details Adler was able to share, he noted that the reported motive of the attack was unusual as most antisemitic attacks were directed at Jewish people and not those affiliated with Jews. 

Adler stressed that, since the 7th of October, Australia had experienced a 700% increase in antisemitic incidents. Adler said he had personally experienced credible death threats.

”Not related to this incident but I can tell you since the 7th October, I have had more contact with the police than my life put together. We have had meetings with counter-terrorism police. We have met with the Department of Home Affairs…We have dealt with local police commands on numerous antisemitic incidents that range from assaults to death threats to harassment. It has been reported that there has been a 7-fold increase in antisemitic incidents since Oct.7 but we think it is much greater than that,” he told the Post. 

Asked about concerns on a larger scale attack against Australian Jewry, Adler assured that while “We are concerned at the level of violence and that anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents…The actual number of successful [terrorist] attacks has been low. We have a good intelligence capacity in Australia so we have confidence that authorities will intervene…There [also] has been additional government funding for Jewish community security in Australia.”