Washington
DOJ and FBI create new task force to target Hamas over October 7 attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Monday announced the creation of a task force to investigate Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel as well as potential civil rights violations and acts of antisemitism by anyone supporting the militant group.
Agents and prosecutors participating in Joint Task Force October 7, or JTF 10-7, will investigate and look to bring charges against Hamas militants directly responsible for the rampage in southern Israel, the department said.
"The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win — and there will be consequences," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the task force.
The attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and Hamas took 251 hostages. It touched off an Israeli counteroffensive that has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced most of the population and killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants.
The Biden administration's Justice Department unsealed charges last September against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the attack on Israel. The impact of the case is mostly symbolic given that Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces weeks later and several other defendants are believed now to be dead.
The new task force will take over those pending charges, the department said.
The announcement of the task force comes as President Donald Trump has issued what he has called a "last warning" to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza. His administration has targeted universities over a perceived failure to squelch antisemitism on campus as well as foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The Justice Department announced this month that it was investigating whether Columbia University concealed "illegal aliens" on its campus, and federal immigration agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he revoked Khalil's permission to be in the U.S. because of his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, saying they had riled up "anti-Jewish" sentiment and amounted to support for Hamas.
Khalil's lawyers have challenged his detention in court.
Monday's announcement said the task force, made up of prosecutors and FBI officials, also will investigate civil rights violations and potential acts of terrorism by anyone providing support or financing to Hamas.
It did not define what sort of support would be illegal, though federal law makes it a crime to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas.
The Justice Department said FBI agents will be embedded with Israel's National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing.
Texas
Midwife accused by state's attorney general of providing illegal abortions
HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas midwife has been arrested and accused of providing illegal abortions, marking the first time authorities have filed criminal charges under the state's near-total abortion ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Monday.
Maria Margarita Rojas has been charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony, as well as practicing medicine without a license, which is a third-degree felony.
Paxton alleges that Rojas, 48, illegally operated at least three clinics in the Houston area where illegal abortion procedures were performed in direct violation of state law.
"In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted," Paxton said in a statement. "Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable."
Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, whose office is located northwest of Houston, referred the case to Paxton for prosecution, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
Waller County court records show Rojas was arrested on March 6 and she was released on bond the next day.
Court records did not list an attorney for Rojas who could speak on her behalf.
A woman reached by phone at one of Rojas' clinics said Monday she did not know who Rojas was. Messages left at Rojas' two other clinics were not immediately returned. On their Facebook pages, the clinics advertise various services, including physical exams, ultrasounds and vaccines.
Texas is one of 12 states currently enforcing a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. Texas' ban allows exceptions when a pregnant patient has a life-threatening condition. Opponents of the ban say it is too vague when it comes to when medically necessary exceptions are allowed. A bill has been filed in the current Texas legislative session to clarify medical exceptions allowed under the law.
The charge of illegal performance of an abortion carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison while the charge of practicing medicine without a license carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Paxton's office said it has filed a temporary restraining order to close Rojas' clinics.
In the U.S., there have been few, if any, criminal charges filed alleging the operation of illegal abortion clinics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door to state abortion bans.
A Louisiana grand jury earlier this year indicted a New York doctor on charges that she illegally prescribed abortion pills online to a Louisiana patient. Paxton has filed a civil lawsuit against the same doctor under a similar accusation.
DOJ and FBI create new task force to target Hamas over October 7 attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Monday announced the creation of a task force to investigate Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel as well as potential civil rights violations and acts of antisemitism by anyone supporting the militant group.
Agents and prosecutors participating in Joint Task Force October 7, or JTF 10-7, will investigate and look to bring charges against Hamas militants directly responsible for the rampage in southern Israel, the department said.
"The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win — and there will be consequences," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement announcing the task force.
The attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and Hamas took 251 hostages. It touched off an Israeli counteroffensive that has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced most of the population and killed over 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants.
The Biden administration's Justice Department unsealed charges last September against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the attack on Israel. The impact of the case is mostly symbolic given that Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces weeks later and several other defendants are believed now to be dead.
The new task force will take over those pending charges, the department said.
The announcement of the task force comes as President Donald Trump has issued what he has called a "last warning" to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza. His administration has targeted universities over a perceived failure to squelch antisemitism on campus as well as foreigners who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The Justice Department announced this month that it was investigating whether Columbia University concealed "illegal aliens" on its campus, and federal immigration agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he revoked Khalil's permission to be in the U.S. because of his role in pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, saying they had riled up "anti-Jewish" sentiment and amounted to support for Hamas.
Khalil's lawyers have challenged his detention in court.
Monday's announcement said the task force, made up of prosecutors and FBI officials, also will investigate civil rights violations and potential acts of terrorism by anyone providing support or financing to Hamas.
It did not define what sort of support would be illegal, though federal law makes it a crime to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations such as Hamas.
The Justice Department said FBI agents will be embedded with Israel's National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing.
Texas
Midwife accused by state's attorney general of providing illegal abortions
HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas midwife has been arrested and accused of providing illegal abortions, marking the first time authorities have filed criminal charges under the state's near-total abortion ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Monday.
Maria Margarita Rojas has been charged with the illegal performance of an abortion, a second-degree felony, as well as practicing medicine without a license, which is a third-degree felony.
Paxton alleges that Rojas, 48, illegally operated at least three clinics in the Houston area where illegal abortion procedures were performed in direct violation of state law.
"In Texas, life is sacred. I will always do everything in my power to protect the unborn, defend our state's pro-life laws, and work to ensure that unlicensed individuals endangering the lives of women by performing illegal abortions are fully prosecuted," Paxton said in a statement. "Texas law protecting life is clear, and we will hold those who violate it accountable."
Waller County District Attorney Sean Whittmore, whose office is located northwest of Houston, referred the case to Paxton for prosecution, according to the state Attorney General's Office.
Waller County court records show Rojas was arrested on March 6 and she was released on bond the next day.
Court records did not list an attorney for Rojas who could speak on her behalf.
A woman reached by phone at one of Rojas' clinics said Monday she did not know who Rojas was. Messages left at Rojas' two other clinics were not immediately returned. On their Facebook pages, the clinics advertise various services, including physical exams, ultrasounds and vaccines.
Texas is one of 12 states currently enforcing a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. Texas' ban allows exceptions when a pregnant patient has a life-threatening condition. Opponents of the ban say it is too vague when it comes to when medically necessary exceptions are allowed. A bill has been filed in the current Texas legislative session to clarify medical exceptions allowed under the law.
The charge of illegal performance of an abortion carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison while the charge of practicing medicine without a license carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Paxton's office said it has filed a temporary restraining order to close Rojas' clinics.
In the U.S., there have been few, if any, criminal charges filed alleging the operation of illegal abortion clinics since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door to state abortion bans.
A Louisiana grand jury earlier this year indicted a New York doctor on charges that she illegally prescribed abortion pills online to a Louisiana patient. Paxton has filed a civil lawsuit against the same doctor under a similar accusation.
