A former Pennsylvania Air National Guard member already accused of defacing Jewish religious property in Squirrel Hill has been indicted on new charges of possessing homemade pipe bombs and lying during a federal background check for top-secret clearance.
The latest indictment, filed under seal Tuesday in federal court in Pittsburgh, names Mohamad Hamad, 23, of Coraopolis and Talya A. Lubit, 24, of Pittsburgh, both of whom were previously charged.
It also identifies a third defendant, Micaiah Collins, 22, of Pittsburgh. She is charged with conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
The indictment accuses Collins of talking with Hamad about building the bombs and detonating them.
Investigators say Hamad and another person, whom authorities did not identify, detonated three explosive devices in July at Rothrock State Forest in State College.
According to the indictment, throughout last summer, and while he was undergoing his top-secret security clearance investigation with the Air National Guard, Hamad purchased items to make the homemade bombs and talked to Collins about building them.
“‘Some [stuff] came in the mail today,’” he wrote to her on the Signal messaging app on June 18, according to the indictment. “Can’t wait to have some fun with you.’”
On June 29, the indictment said, he wrote to her that the “big shells came in.
“I made that big shell.
“It’s way bigger than I expected.
“I’m actually scared of it a bit.’”
Collins, according to prosecutors, responded: “cuz wen we do the THING .. w the THING oh yeaaaaa its OVERRR’ and ‘bros ankles GONE!!!’
Praising Hamas
According to the indictment, unsealed Wednesday, Hamad constructed two pipe bombs and a third explosive device using M80-style shell tubes and spray paint cans.
Investigators said he traveled to State College from Pittsburgh on July 18 and took the three devices with him.
Hamad and the unidentified person then drove to Rothrock State Forest and, shortly after midnight on July 19, detonated the explosives, according to the indictment.
Fragments were recovered at the park, the indictment said.
In a video of the detonation, Hamad can be heard acknowledging that the device would create metal shrapnel, the indictment alleged.
Investigators also said that on July 6, Hamad picked Collins up at her home around 10:45 p.m.
The next evening, according to the indictment, Collins wrote to him, “‘I keep watchin the video!’ Hamad immediately responded, ‘Hell yeah. That [stuff] ws a blast.’ At approximately 6:41 p.m., Collins sent a video of an explosion, to which Hamad responded, ‘Hell yeah.’”
The indictment also alleges that messages Hamad wrote to friends and posted on social media were filled with references to being a martyr for Hamas and praising its members.
Hamad, who authorities previously identified as an American and Lebanese citizen, frequently wrote that he wanted to join the fighting.
“Ya Allah, I can’t take this anymore, I want to fight and die. I don’t want to live here anymore. I’m jealous of these fighters.”
Later he wrote, “‘To be clear I want to go over there in Palestine. And help. Fight.”
‘Palestine on top’
Hamad was posting those messages at the same time he was undergoing his investigation for a top secret security clearance for his work with the Air National Guard.
Hamad enlisted with the U.S. Air Force and Pennsylvania Air National Guard in June 2023 and attended Air Force training in Texas until February 2024.
Afterward, he was assigned to the 171st Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard in Moon.
During that time, he repeatedly told people that even though he had joined the American military, “it’s still Palestine on top though make no mistake,” the indictment said.
In one message he wrote, “‘don’t get me wrong, my dear, Lebanon, Palestine are my country, and they are on top, and at the end of the day, [expletive] off Israel and all her friends.’”
He told his associates he needed to learn “combat skills,” in his training.
During his interviews for his security clearance, the indictment said, Hamad repeatedly stated that his loyalty was to the United States over other nations and that he had not engaged in any activities that would cause someone to question his allegiance to the U.S.
The new charges against Hamad include making a false statement to the United States, conspiracy to commit an offense against the U.S., and possession of a destructive device.
Featured Local Businesses
Hamad and Lubit were released on bond with home electronic monitoring after their arrest in October.
In that case, he and Lubit, who is Jewish, were charged for vandalizing two Jewish organizations — Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh — on July 29.
Video surveillance from the two locations was used to track the suspects’ car, later identified as Hamad’s BMW convertible.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a new request to take Hamad into custody, alleging he is a flight risk and a danger to the community.
A hearing on the detention request has not yet been scheduled.