Five people in France have been indicted for transferring funds to Hamas under the cover of providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
PNAT (the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office) confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Monday that five individuals were brought before the court on February 20 and formally charged with financing Hamas under the guise of humanitarian work.
PNAT confirmed that the investigation into the two associations, Humani’Terre and Comité de Bienfaisance et de soutien de la Palestine (which later became Soutien Humani’Terre), began on November 3, 2023. They were suspected of financing a terrorist enterprise, criminal terrorist conspiracy, and organized money laundering in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
The investigations were assigned to the anti-terrorism section of the criminal brigade of the Paris police prefecture, the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI), and the Central Office for Combating Major Financial Crime (OCRGDF).
While Soutien Humani’Terre and Humani’Terre purported to support Palestinian populations living in refugee camps in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Gaza, members of their executive boards were suspected of channeling funds to Hamas.
The context behind the indictment
An initial operation on January 31, 2024, involved searches at the associations’ headquarters and at the homes of current and former board members. This led to the seizure of computer equipment, including the association’s server, and numerous accounting documents listing French, European, Palestinian, and Jordanian associations as recipients of funds.
Nearly €40 million was also seized. Over €5m. was found in cash at the association’s headquarters and its branches in Paris, Lille, Lyon, and Marseille, while around €35m. was from the association’s bank accounts or discovered in the form of bank checks.
After analyzing and translating seized digital material and evidence obtained through international cooperation with Italy, the United States, and Israel, authorities conducted a second search on February 16, during which five individuals were taken into police custody.
With the assistance of AGRASC (the agency responsible for managing and recovering seized and confiscated assets), two properties, in Paris and La Courneuve, were also seized.
On Friday, PNAT requested the opening of a judicial investigation into charges of financing a terrorist enterprise, organized breach of trust, and the laundering of organized breach of trust in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
The investigations will now continue under the direction of three anti-terrorism investigating judges, and the five individuals remain under judicial supervision.