Italian prosecutors coordinated with mafia and anti-terrorism units to arrest nine suspects who used an Italian-based charitable foundation as a front for humanitarian fundraising, but diverted over 250 million baht from the charity to organizations linked to Hamas.
Italian authorities launched a crackdown on a financial support network for Hamas, arresting nine suspects in Genoa, northern Italy, on charges of membership and support of a group designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union (EU).
Investigators revealed that the group used an Italian "charitable foundation" as a front for humanitarian fundraising, but embezzled donations over the past two years, forwarding about 7 million euros (around 254 million baht) to organizations linked to Hamas. Police ordered the seizure of assets valued at over 8 million euros (about 290 million baht).
The investigation began after suspicious financial transactions were detected, leading to regional coordination via Eurojust, the EU's judicial cooperation agency. Italy collaborated with Dutch authorities and other EU member states to successfully expose the network.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed gratitude to all officials involved in this "important and complex" operation, describing it as uprooting terrorist funding disguised as charitable organizations.
This operation comes amid rising tensions in the Gaza Strip, as Meloni's government, which supports Israel, faces ongoing protests by pro-Palestinian groups within Italy.
Overall casualties from the war that began in October 2023 have risen to over 71,000 deaths in Gaza, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. The Hamas attacks in Israel that sparked the conflict resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths.
."Source"Reuters