New York Woman Arrested for Attempting to Fund Palestinian Islamic Jihad Terror Group

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrest of 37-year-old Catherine Beth Washburn from New York on charges of attempting to provide material support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. Court documents reveal that Washburn transferred over $30,000 in cryptocurrency to an individual in Gaza who identified as a member of the group. During the FBI investigation, messages were uncovered in which Washburn expressed hatred toward Jews and stated a wish for every day to be October 7, referencing the date of a major attack. Michael DiGiacomo, the federal prosecutor for the Western District of New York, stated that Washburn was motivated by hatred of Israel and Jews and made significant efforts to financially assist terrorist organizations.