Stolen from Delhi, sent to Hamas: What Delhi Police's crypto probe found

Was money from India ever siphoned off to Palestinian terrorist groups? There is definitely a money trail from Delhi to Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas, going by a cryptocurrency case cracked by Delhi Police in 2022. The case has resurfaced amid the Israel-Hamas war and the revelation by Israeli authorities that Hamas was seeking funding through cryptocurrencies. Delhi Police’s probe into cryptocurrency theft in 2022 revealed that the cryptos stolen from the wallet of a Delhi man were siphoned off to accounts of Hamas terrorists, according to police officials. This case has resurfaced amid reports that Hamas has launched a fundraising campaign through cryptocurrencies.Individuals fraudulently transferred Bitcoins, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash, worth about Rs 30 lakh in 2022, from an account, according to a police complaint. A case was registered after a court order, and the probe was transferred to the Cyber Crime Unit’s Special Cell.The investigation revealed that the cryptocurrencies had ended up in the wallets maintained by Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said Delhi Police officials.A major share of the cryptocurrencies has been transferred to accounts of Ahmed Marzooq in Egypt and Ahmed QH Safi from Palestine, among others. These wallets were being operated from Giza in Egypt, the officials said.The cryptos were also deposited in wallets belonging to Mohammad Naseer Ibrahim Abdulla but the accounts were seized by Israel in a terror-financing crackdown.The money was routed through various private wallets before finally reaching the wallets of Hamas operatives.The Delhi Police report came even as Israel’s Defence Ministry said Hamas had launched a fundraising campaign on social networks, urging the public to deposit cryptocurrencies into their accounts. The Israeli authorities also said they had frozen many of these cryptocurrency accounts, with the assistance of crypto exchanges.The deadly war, which began on Saturday after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, has claimed more than 3,000 lives so far. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip as airstrikes continue.Edited By: Ajmal Published On: Oct 11, 2023Must Watch