Federal officials call on US to launch investigation into terror supporters

Several former federal law officials have called on the US Department of Justice to launch a criminal investigation into a pro-Hamas organization, NBC reported on Friday.

Supporters of the group gathered on the steps of Vancouver’s Robson Square on the anniversary of October 7. They wore masks and keffiyehs as they set a Canadian flag on fire while chanting, “Death to Canada! Death to the United States! And Death to Israel!” and “We are Hezbollah, and we are Hamas!” according to reports. 

Samidoun, a pro-terrorist group, was officially labeled a terrorist entity on October 15 by both the United States and Canada. 

Samidoun has also been listed as a terrorist group in Israel, banned in Germany, and had its funding frozen in the United States.

Its leaders have been deported from – and barred from re-entering – the EU. Earlier this month, the Netherlands also moved to ban the group.

One of the group co-founders, Charlotte Kates, was previously arrested in Vancouver for publicly celebrating the October 7 massacre. She told NBC News, “The Palestinian resistance and the Lebanese resistance are not engaging in terrorism,” Kates claimed. “They’re engaging in a national liberation struggle.”

In addition, according to reports, Kates has publicly supported Hamas and Hezbollah while also joining online webinars with active terrorist members. 

Where to draw the line

Tom Petrowski, who is a legal counsel with the FBI and is one of the former law officials who has petitioned for the US government to crack down on these organizations, said he believes the FBI must take action against his group.

“The decision to open a counterterrorism investigation based on advocacy is usually a very difficult call,” NBC quoted. “In this case, it is not. The FBI would be derelict in its duty to not have a full investigation open on Samidoun.”