{
  "id": 11484160,
  "title": "Italian prisoner accused of Hamas financing appears in video sermon praising Gaza fighters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/italian-prisoner-accused-of-hamas-financing-appears-in-video-sermon",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T17:08:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/international/islamic-terrorism/article-910423"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Riyad Albustanji, a Palestinian activist incarcerated in a high-security Italian prison for alleged financing of Hamas, delivered a video sermon on social media. In the sermon, he praised Gaza fighters, invoked martyrdom, and called for divine punishment against Israel and its allies. The sermon, which was reported by Il Giornale, contained references to armed resistance, fighters, martyrs, and prisoners, leading to comparisons with Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups. Albustanji, known as \"the sheikh,\" was detained in the high-security section of the Bancali prison in Sassari, Sardinia. Italian prosecutors allege that he was part of a network that transferred money to Hamas through organizations that publicly operated as humanitarian charities. He addressed the war in Gaza and the Palestinian struggle against Israel in the sermon, appealing to God for victory for \"Your fighters in Gaza, in Palestine\" and invoking martyrdom for himself and others \"for Your cause.\" He also prayed for the wounded, martyrs, and prisoners, and sought divine retribution against \"the criminal Zionists and all their allies,\" wishing for fear and anguish among his enemies and the destruction of their possessions.",
  "summary": "Palestiniana activist Riyad Albustanji gave a sermon from his high-security cell in Sardinia's Bancali prison in Sassari with terminology that Italy's Il Giornale says resembled terror groups'.",
  "key_points": [
    "Riyad Albustanji, a Palestinian prisoner, appeared in a video sermon.",
    "He praised Gaza fighters and invoked martyrdom in the sermon.",
    "Albustanji was accused of financing Hamas through a money transfer network."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}