Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, who was freed on Wednesday in the deportation case, has told the Vermont gun shop owner he killed “Jews while he was in Palestine,” court documents revealed.
In the ongoing deportation case, the court papers filed on Wednesday recalled the 2015 Summer case, where Mahdwai visited a gun shop and said that he “had considerable firearm experience and was used to building modified 9mm submachine guns to kill Jews while he was in Palestine,” according to the shop owner.
Court papers detailed these claims as the Trump administration attempted unsuccessfully to maintain Mahdawi’s detention following his arrest for leading anti-Israel demonstrations at the prestigious university, New York Post reported.
The documents state that the shop owner informed Windsor, Vermont police that Mahdawi visited twice and he allegedly claimed experience with modified firearms used against Jews in Palestine.
The filing mentions another individual at a firearm museum who reportedly had a similar interaction with Mahdawi, where he allegedly expressed anti-Semitic sentiments.
Court papers indicate Mahdawi was subsequently interviewed by the FBI, during which he denied these accusations. He explained visiting the shop to enquire about registering his then-wife’s shotgun gift, and the museum due to its proximity and his interest in machinery.
According to the documents, the FBI found his explanation satisfactory and concluded their investigation.
US District Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered Mahdawi’s release on Wednesday. Mahdawi, who held permanent residency for a decade, was arrested on April 14 during his US citizenship interview.
The State Department accused him of intimidating Jewish students during Columbia protests, whilst his legal team argued his detention was retaliatory for his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
The judge’s release order acknowledged Mahdawi’s substantial claim of government suppression of disagreeable speech, emphasising First Amendment protections regardless of controversial views.
Attempts to reach Mahdawi’s legal representative for comment were unsuccessful.
