‘Student Intifada’: FBI Arrests George Mason Student Plotting Mass Casualty Attack on NYC Israeli Consulate

Latest Developments

Egyptian National Charged by FBI: The FBI arrested an Egyptian student at George Mason University in Virginia for plotting an attack on the office of the Consulate General of Israel in New York. Egyptian citizen Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan faces federal charges related to the distribution of “information related to explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction, and the intent to murder internationally protected persons.” Hassan operated multiple social media accounts where he expressed support for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hamas, as well as advocating for violence against Jews.

Hassan Arrested After Undercover Operation: Hassan was flagged by the FBI for his online terror support, which led to his arrest after he attempted to recruit an undercover FBI informant to participate in his planned attack on the Israeli Consulate. Hassan had shared pro-jihadist materials, antisemitic videos, and bomb-making guides with the informant and had further instructed them on surveillance techniques and how to “escape to ISIS territory” after carrying out the attack.

George Mason Faces Uptick in Extremism on Campus: Just weeks prior to Hassan’s arrest, two leaders in George Mason University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter were barred from campus after they reportedly vandalized the student center with the message “student intifada.” A search warrant later revealed the two students, sisters Jena and Noor Chanaa, to be in possession of multiple firearms, large amounts of ammunition, Hamas and Hezbollah flags, signs that read “death to America” and “death to Jews,” and foreign passports. George Mason’s SJP branch overtly condoned Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel, declaring its “support [for] all forms of resistance” following the massacre.

FDD Expert Response

“Foreign influences and incitement to violence on college campuses pose increasing dangers to our homeland security. We aren’t talking about free speech; we’re talking about violent extremism and possible terrorism. These cases underscore the need for a comprehensive campaign by the FBI, Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and Treasury Department to crack down on terror-affiliated networks operating inside our borders.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor

“The real possibility of devastating attacks coming from George Mason students helps debunk the false narrative that Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) is a form of non-violent resistance. The boycott campaign is just one front in the larger effort to eradicate the Jewish state. It is no coincidence that the first signatory of the original BDS call was an umbrella organization of violent terrorist groups.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“As exemplified by both cases at George Mason, the next step on the radicalization ladder for those who justify terrorism is to turn their malicious sympathies into actions and commit terror attacks themselves. University campuses in the United States have long acted as breeding grounds for extremists, and these students, emboldened by the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities in Israel, are devoted to the goals of Iran-backed foreign terrorist organizations.” — Aaron Goren, Research Analyst and Editor