Lawmakers want answers from the Pentagon on how U.S.-made weapons may have ended up in the hands of Hamas terrorists who slaughtered Israeli civilians.
Citing reports that advanced U.S.-made firearms have ended up in the possession of the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, several House Oversight Committee Republicans are demanding answers from the Pentagon about what’s being done to make sure American-made weapons don’t end up in the wrong hands.
“The Committee has seen reports that U.S.-manufactured weapons are being redistributed and resold in secondary markets to terrorist organizations, including Hamas,” wrote House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in an Oct. 23 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a series of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were being diverted and ending up in the hands of terrorists.
One source of these U.S.-made weapons is reportedly the roughly $7 billion stockpile left behind in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Another is related to the arms that the United States is providing to Ukraine amid its war with Russia but that are being diverted to the Middle East by various actors, including gun-smuggling criminal groups.
“The potential possession of U.S. weapons by terrorists is alarming in light of the terrorist group’s recent horrific attack on Israel,” the pair of lawmakers wrote, referring to the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas operatives that killed about 1,500 Israelis, mostly civilians—many of them in barbaric fashion.
In their letter, they demanded a staff briefing from the Pentagon by the end of October on what procedures the Department of Defense (DOD) has in place “for preventing, addressing, and mitigating weapon diversion abroad.”
In their letter, Mr. Comer and Ms. Greene cited a number of media reports indicating that American-made weapons were ending up in the hands of those who may wish to use them to harm the United States and its allies.
One of these is a June 15 report by Newsweek that cites a high-ranking Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander as saying that the Israeli military was concerned that U.S.-made weapons provided to Ukraine were being diverted and ending up in the hands of Israel’s enemies in the Middle East.
By Tom Ozimek
Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com
Comer & Greene Press DOD on U.S. Military Aid and Weapons Falling into Terrorist Hands
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) are opening a probe into the Department of Defense’s (DoD) processes and policies to ensure that American military aid and weapons are properly distributed and used abroad. In a letter to DoD Secretary Lloyd Austin, the lawmakers request a staff briefing after reports surfaced showing U.S.-manufactured weapons are being redistributed and resold in secondary markets to terrorist organizations, including Hamas.
“The Committee is concerned by reports that Hamas and other terrorist organizations may have obtained American-made weapons,” wrote the lawmakers. “Recently released photos show Hamas terrorists allegedly holding what appear to be M4A1 Carbines, which were specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces. This would not be the first time our military service members and allies have been targeted by terrorist organizations misappropriating American-made weapons.”
Previously, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly provided Stinger Anti-Aircraft Missiles to the Afghan Mujahideen, which were later obtained and utilized by the Taliban. More recently, the Taliban released videos and photographs in 2021 of their members flying a U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. A recent Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine report alleges that Russian intelligence has repurposed weapons seized during the Ukraine-Russia war, which were manufactured in the United States and the European Union (EU). An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander echoed concerns in June 2023, stating that Palestinian groups in the Gaza strip possessed U.S. weapons seized by the Taliban during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
“The Committee seeks transparency as to how the DoD ensures that military aid, including American-made small arms, are being carefully distributed, safeguarded, and tracked abroad to prevent further incidents,” continued the lawmakers. “The potential possession of U.S. weapons by terrorists is alarming in light of the terrorist group’s recent horrific attack on Israel. Therefore, the Committee seeks a staff briefing on DoD procedures for preventing, addressing, and mitigating weapon diversion abroad.
Read the letter to Secretary Austin here.
Oversight Committee
There are emerging reports that Hamas and other terrorist organizations may have obtained American-made weapons. If true, this is unfortunately not the first time military resources purchased by American tax dollars have fallen into the wrong hands.
@RepJamesComer and @RepMTG are demanding answers from the DoD.
A few examples:
- Recently released photos show Hamas terrorists allegedly holding what appear to be M4A1 Carbines, which were specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces.
- Previously, the CIA reportedly provided Stinger Anti-Aircraft Missiles to the Afghan Mujahideen, which were later obtained and utilized by the Taliban.
- More recently, the Taliban released videos and photographs in 2021 of their members flying a U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
- A recent Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine report alleges that Russian intelligence has repurposed weapons seized during the Ukraine-Russia war, which were manufactured in the United States and the EU.
- An Israel Defense Forces commander echoed concerns in June 2023, stating that Palestinian groups in the Gaza strip possessed U.S. weapons seized by the Taliban during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
