Italian authorities arrest 9 for allegedly funding Hamas through charities

ROME — Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said in a statement Saturday

ROME — Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros in funds for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said in a statement Saturday.

The suspects are accused of sending about 7 million euros ($8.2 million) to "associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas," the statement said.

Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, prosecutors said, describing him as the "head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization."

The European Union has Hamas listed on its terror list.

According to Italian prosecutors, who collaborated with other EU countries in the probe, the illegal funds were delivered through "triangulation operations" via bank transfers or through organizations based abroad to associations based in Gaza, which have been declared illegal by Israel for their ties to Hamas.