THE REAL STORY: DHS Sets the Record Straight on Terrorist Sympathizer and Leader of the Columbia Pro-Terrorist Riots Mohsen Mahdawi

The mainstream media fawned over this terrorist sympathizer and claimed his arrest was an attack on First Amendment Rights

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today set the record straight on Columbia University riots ringleader Mohsen Mahdawi. In recent days, misleading and lazy reporting painted the leader of pro-terrorist demonstrations as a "peacemaker." Court records allege that Mahdawi told a gun shop owner that he used firearms to “kill Jews."

In a brief filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on April 28 in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont, Mohsen Mahdawi was cited as admitting to being involved in and supporting pro-terrorist acts of violence. Mahdawi also allegedly admitted to familiarity with firearms per a police report. The federal filing reveals: 

• Mahdawi supposedly told a gun shop owner “that he had considerable firearm experience” and used guns to "kill Jews while he was in Palestine.”
• Mahadawi was cited as having experience building firearms, including modified 9mm submachine guns.
• Another member of the community recalled Mahdawi stating “I like to kill Jews.”
• In a police report, a concerned individual reported that Mahdawi requested to purchase a sniper rifle and a machine gun. He also claimed that he said he used to make guns for Hezbollah.

Below is an excerpt of the DOJ’s brief:

 

This week, Mahdawi also accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of staging a citizenship interview as a trap in order to arrest him. Many in the media failed to report the real story here, which is that this terrorist sympathizer allegedly bragged to a gun shop owner that he had considerable firearms experience as he used to “kill Jews while he was in Palestine.”

Statement Attributable to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin:

"As the media works overtime to glorify a ringleader of the Columbia pro-terrorist riots, court documents show Mahdawi allegedly told a gun shop owner that he had considerable firearms experience and he ‘used to kill Jews.’ The media tried to paint Mohsen Mahdawi as a martyr for free speech. The truth is he is a terrorist sympathizer and national security threat who does not belong in this country. Why does the media continue to defend terrorist sympathizers?” 

Below are just a handful of examples of misleading headlines.