A convicted terrorist financier, Mohamad Youssef Hammoud, has been released from U.S. federal prison after serving 23 years of a 30-year sentence under the First Step Act. Upon his return to Beirut, Hammoud declared his continued support for Hezbollah, the terrorist organization he was convicted of funding, sparking outrage and renewed calls for the act's repeal.
Hammoud, a Lebanese national, was initially sentenced to 155 years in 2002 for providing material support to Hezbollah, along with other charges. This sentence was later vacated by the Supreme Court, and he was resentenced to 30 years in 2011. The bipartisan First Step Act, signed into law by President Trump in 2018, allowed Hammoud to request early release, which was granted by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina despite the Biden administration's opposition.
The court cited "disparity between his sentence and others for comparable conduct" and the "disproportionate impact" of the terrorism enhancement as justification for the early release. Following his deportation to Beirut, Hammoud gave interviews to Hezbollah-affiliated media, denying prior funding but expressing pride in the prospect of future support. He was pictured with portraits of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and the late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) condemned the release, arguing that the First Step Act has made America less safe and calling for its repeal. He emphasized the danger of releasing unrehabilitated criminals, including terrorists, back into society. This sentiment was echoed by other Republicans, including presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has vowed to repeal the act if elected. DeSantis criticized the law as a "jailbreak bill" that has allowed dangerous individuals to re-offend.
A child holds a flag of Lebanon's Shiite Muslim Hezbollah movement during a rally in Kfar Kila, Lebanon. (MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images, File)
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., at the U.S. Capitol. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images, File)
