The US and Britain have imposed sanctions on the online platform ‘Gaza Now’ and its founder for suspected support of the terrorist organization Hamas. The man lives in Linz. He was robbed and is being investigated for terrorist financing.
“This morning, Austrian authorities stormed the house of Mustafa Ayash, director of the Gaza Now news agency,” wrote “Gaza Now” on Platform X on Thursday. His personal belongings, including laptops and mobile phones, as well as his bank accounts were seized.
Suspicion of terrorist financing
The Linz Public Prosecutor confirmed to krone.at that a search had been carried out at the home of the self-proclaimed journalist. Contrary to what ‘Gaza Now’ claimed, no arrest was made. “An investigation has been launched into suspected terrorist financing,” a spokeswoman said. She also confirmed seizures. She could not provide details; the seized items are now being evaluated.
The US and Britain imposed sanctions on 31-year-old Ayash on Wednesday for supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. After the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, his online platform launched a call for donations for Hamas. The Arabic channel ‘Gaza Now’ has more than 300,000 followers on the X platform, and there are also several hundred thousand subscribers on Telegram.
Funds frozen
Mustafa Ayash’s assets in the US and Great Britain have been frozen and he is no longer allowed to do business with Americans or British. The US and its partners will “continue to use their resources to disrupt Hamas’ ability to facilitate further attacks,” the US Treasury Department said.
Gaza Now also claimed that Austrian authorities had also blocked Ayash’s accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Mustafa Ayash himself posted a message on his X account on Friday, dismissing the accusations as “lies” by the Israelis.
Already declared dead
Gaza Now’s claims are not the first false reports about Mustafa Ayash. In December 2023, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – led by Austrian Volker Türk – published a press release about journalists killed in the Gaza war. Ayash was killed along with at least eight members of his family in an Israeli airstrike. Since then, he has been repeatedly active on social media.
FPÖ sharply criticizes the Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Upper Austrian FPÖ leader Manfred Haimbuchner asked on Friday how the man could remain undisturbed in Linz for a long time. “The fact that such people are in the middle of Austria not only poses a huge security threat to our people, it is also an absolute shame for the Office for the Protection of the Constitution,” Haimbuchner criticized in a broadcast. Instead of “criminalizing the law-abiding brotherhoods,” one should “take a look at the Islamic threats in this country. Unlike the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, these gentlemen do not sleep.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
