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Pennsylvania Air National Guard member who supported Hamas lied to feds and built pipe bombs, FBI says

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Pennsylvania Air National Guard member who supported Hamas lied to feds and built pipe bombs, FBI says




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A Pennsylvania Air National Guard member already charged with vandalizing Jewish buildings in Pittsburgh is facing new charges for allegedly building pipe bombs and lying about his allegiance to the United States in an attempt to gain top secret security clearance. 

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Twenty-three-year-old Mohamad Hamad of Coraopolis was named in a nine-count superseding indictment along with 24-year-old Tayla Lubit and 22-year-old Micaiah Collins, both of Pittsburgh. 

Hamad, who, according to FBI paperwork, called himself a “Hamas operative,” was previously indicted along with Lubit for defacing Chabad of Squirrel Hill’s synagogue and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s office building in July.

Hamad accused of lying to feds, building pipe bombs 

Investigators said Hamad enlisted with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in 2023 and was assigned to a squadron that’s part of the 171st Air Refueling Wing near the Pittsburgh International Airport. While trying to gain top security clearance, the FBI said Hamad lied to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency about his loyalty to the U.S. during three in-person interviews. 

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(Photo: FBI)


During the same time, prosecutors allege that Hamad and Collins conspired to make a “destructive device” and discussed its potential uses. After detonating the device, investigators said Hamad built additional explosives, including two pipe bombs, detonating those as well. 

Prosecutors vow to keep Jewish community safe

“As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, Mohamad Hamad lied about his loyalty to the United States, among other false statements, in an attempt to obtain a Top-Secret security clearance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti in a press release. “During that time, he openly expressed support for Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Hamas. In addition to his previously charged role in defacing Jewish religious property, he also conspired with others named in this Superseding Indictment to manufacture and detonate destructive devices.”

Rivetti says his office “remains resolute in its commitment” to working with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to protect the Jewish community and public at large. 

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2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman

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2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman


RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Two firefighters traveling in a utility vehicle along a Pennsylvania road during a search for a missing woman were killed in a head-on crash with a car, officials said.

The two members of the Walnuttown Fire Company died after the crash with a Toyota Camry at about 6 p.m. Saturday, roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick Jr. were heading north when they were struck by a sedan heading south on Route 222, according to the Berks County Coroner.

NBC Philadelphia reported that the utility vehicle was riding on the shoulder of Route 222 when the Camry swerved off of the road. Police told the station that a male and a female who were in the Camry when it crashed fled and were later arrested.

Video from the crash scene shows the utility vehicle on its side.

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No further details about the arrest or the search for the missing woman were immediately available Sunday.

A call and an email seeking information were made to the Fleetwood Police Department.

Autopsies on the firefighters, both residents of Fleetwood, were scheduled for Monday.

“At this time we would like to send our thoughts and prayers” to the Shick and Buck families, the Walnuttown Fire Company said in a Facebook post. “Rest easy chiefs, we got it from here.”

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Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence

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Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence


A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.”This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.

A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.

The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.

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After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.

“This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”

The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.

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Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.



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MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

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MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania


Michigan State football has locked in an official visit with an intriguing defensive back prospect from Pennsylvania.

Trey Hopkins of Wyndmoor, Pa. announced on Saturday that he’s scheduled an official visit to Michigan State for late May. According to a social media post from Hopkins, he will visit Michigan State on May 29.

Hopkins is currently unranked and unrated on 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, and plays for La Salle College. His position is listed as cornerback.

Michigan State extended Hopkins an offer in late February, and is one of nearly 20 schools to offer him, according to 247Sports. Other than his offer from the Spartans, Hopkins has received offers from Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, USF, Temple, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH) and some other group of five or FCS programs.

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Michigan State will be the first of three currently scheduled official visits for Hopkins. According to 247Sports, he will also take official visits to Virginia Tech (June 5) and Penn State (June 11).

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.





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