The hostage families held by Hamas believe that anti-Israel groups like Palestinian students had “pre-knowledge” of the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 – a controversial activist declared in an Instagram post hours before the fatal attack, according to a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Manhattan federal court by six relatives of terrorist group prisoners, citing a “very suggestive” Instagram post from Columbia University's SJP, which allegedly published a “moment” before Hamas attacks on Israel began.
“Three minutes before Hamas launched its attack on October 7th, Columbia SJP posted on Instagram on “We Are Back!!.” The announcement about the first meeting of the semester will encourage viewers to “continue tuning,” according to the lawsuit.
The filing points out that the group's accounts had been around for “a few months” and “a few months” prior to the October 6th post.
The plaintiffs accused the group of being part of “Hamas's American propaganda division,” and accused “US-based in-house public relations company” of changing several times to avoid criminal and civil liability.”
“The Columbia SJP was the leading organizer of pro-Hamas confusion, camps and riots on Columbia campus, including anti-Jewish protests that have been harassed and physically threatened by Jewish students and faculty, glorious Hamas engaged in dangerous illegal activities and students cooperated.
The lawsuit claims that SJP was suspended by Ivy League University in November 2023, but the group “continues to be run secretly” through “intermediaries.”
SJP did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the post.
The lawsuit also highlights the “toolkit” that was popularised among students nationwide for Palestinian judiciary on October 8, 2023, calling group partners and allies “day of resistance” and “effectively signing a pledge of loyalty to Hama.”
The family lawsuits have named several other defendants, including Mahmoud Khalil of Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil of Apartheid Divast, Nerdin Kiswani of Our Life for Palestine, Mariam Alwan of Columbia SJP, Mariam Alwan of Columbia Barnad's Jewish Voice, and several other defendants, including the Jewish Voice of Columbia Barnad.
“Since October 7th, these organizations have been more aggressive and militant in their efforts to work with Hamas and the AMP/NSJP to distribute propaganda created and partnered by Hamas, incite fear and violence, and attack key academic, economic and infrastructure centers in New York City.
The NSJP also urged the NSJP to sign on to what its chapter is called the “Towfan al-Aqsa Statement,” according to the lawsuit.
The statement calls for the NSJP chapter to “Loyalty to the Cause: providing knowledge and substantial support for Hamas' previous international terrorist acts.” [Hamas],'' the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit alleges that it was drafted, reviewed and signed by more than 80 organizations during and/or events on October 7th, including the SJP.
“In terms of information and beliefs, the association's defendants had prior knowledge of the October 7 attack. The foundations of that belief include the timing of the distribution of the NSJP toolkit and the signature of the Towfan al-Aqsa statement,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also points to defendants allegedly distributing “proteropropaganda” in recent protests, including the acquisition of Bernard College's Milstein Library earlier this month, where flyers praise the October 7 attacks, including those coming from the “Hamas Media Office.”
The presence of these flyers was part of the federal justification of sending immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agents to arrest Khalil in a university-owned apartment on March 8, alongside the deportation he is fighting for.
The lawsuit also argues that whenever Hamas and its allies encourage social media to “enter the fight as much as possible” students groups argue that camps on Columbia's campus and takeovers at Hamilton Hall last spring serve as key examples.
“They also repeatedly terrified and attacked Jews across New York City and on Columbia University campuses, physically assaulting Columbia University employees, illegally seizing and destroying public and private property,” reads Filing.
The lawsuit argues that defendants' actions do not qualify for protection under the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and protest, claiming that they coordinate with foreign terrorist groups.
“The association's defendants are not independent advocates. They are experts, recruiters and proxies of nation-states operating prominently in New York City.” The lawsuit says it alleges that the defendants violated the American anti-terrorist law.
The lawsuit attempts to indict the defendant for criminal violations and make him pay unspecified damages.
