Catherine Beth Washburn pictured with two hand grenades in front of Hamas flag. (DOJ)
A New York woman accused of leading a radical extremist organization and posing with hand grenades in front of a Hamas flag has been arrested for allegedly sending tens of thousands of dollars to a Palestinian terrorist group.
Dig deeper:
Catherine Beth Washburn, 37, of Irondequoit, a Rochester suburb, has been charged with attempting to provide material support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which the U.S. government designates as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
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According to the Justice Department, Washburn led the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), a radical group established after Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel.
Federal prosecutors said DAMPL rejects peaceful demonstrations in favor of "direct action," including property destruction and sabotage targeting organizations and businesses it associates with Israel.
Investigators with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force recovered communications between Washburn and an individual who claimed to be an active PIJ fighter in Gaza. In those messages, Washburn allegedly expressed intense hatred toward Jewish people, saying she hated them "very much" and wished Israel "would disappear."
In one exchange, prosecutors allege Washburn wrote, "I wish every day were October 7th." She also added, "If I lived in Gaza, I would fight alongside the resistance."
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In another message, she allegedly wrote that she felt "excited every time I see news of the killing of an occupation soldier."
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo said Washburn went to "great lengths" to finance terrorist violence, motivated by "her self-described hate of Israel and Jewish people."
According to financial records cited in the complaint, Washburn made approximately 80 cryptocurrency transactions totaling more than $30,000 to an account allegedly used by the PIJ fighter.
In a November 2025 message, prosecutors say Washburn joked about her conduct, writing, "Based on my passed [sic] fundraising and posting Im [sic] gonna get put away for a few life times," followed by a laughing emoji.
What they're saying:
FBI Counterterrorism Division Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky said individuals who support terrorist organizations will face prosecution.
"This individual, as alleged in the criminal complaint, provided money to a foreign terrorist organization engaged in acts of violence," Markovsky said. "The FBI is committed to cutting off funding to terrorist groups and will continue to work side-by-side with our Justice Department partners to make sure anyone who engages in terrorism or provides assistance to such organizations is held fully accountable in our justice system."
The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from a federal criminal complaint and charging documents filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, along with statements from U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo and FBI Counterterrorism Division Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky. This story was reported from Los Angeles.