Italy arrests nine over alleged Hamas funding through charities

Italian prosecutors said on Saturday (December 27) they had arrested nine people on suspicion of financing Hamas through charities based in Italy, in an operation coordinated by anti-mafia and anti-terrorism units.

The suspects are accused of "belonging to and having financed" the Palestinian group, which the European Union designates as a terrorist organisation, prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Genoa said.

Those arrested allegedly diverted to Hamas-linked entities around 7 million euros ($8.24 million) raised over the last two years for ostensibly humanitarian purposes, prosecutors said. Police seized assets worth more than 8 million euros.

Among the arrested suspects was the President of the Palestinian Association in Italy, Mohammad Hannoun, who was described by investigators as the "head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organisation."

Hannoun, who is also the founder of the Charitable Association for Solidarity with the Palestinian People, had previously denied allegations that he was part of Hamas, although he claimed to be "a supporter" of the organisation.

The investigation began after suspicious financial transactions were flagged and expanded through cooperation with Dutch authorities and other EU countries, coordinated through the EU judicial agency Eurojust.

Production: Matteo Negri/Reuters