Lawsuit Accuses Columbia Activists of Supporting Hamas Propaganda

A federal lawsuit filed in Manhattan accuses anti-Israel groups at Columbia University, including Mahmoud Khalil and the Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, of functioning as a 'propaganda arm' for Hamas following the October 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel. The plaintiffs, comprising U.S. and Israeli citizens affected by the attack, allege that these groups coordinated with Hamas and may have had prior knowledge of the assault, as suggested by social media activity just before the attack. The complaint details claims of unlawful support for a foreign terrorist organization and includes accusations of physical assaults on Jewish students. Khalil, currently detained during a deportation case initiated by the Trump administration, denies any links to Hamas. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the alleged actions of the defendants. The case is part of ongoing legal scrutiny regarding the influence of Hamas on American college campuses.