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Monday, September 8, 2025

Tag: Hezbollah
May 9, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
Media

BBC Star Pleads Guilty to Terror Offenses Linked to Hezbollah.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) presenter has pleaded guilty to financial terror offences linked to the terrorist group Hezbollah.

👥 Who’s Involved: Oghenochuko ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri, Hezbollah, Nazem Ahmad, Metropolitan Police.

📍 Where & When: London, England on May 9.

💬 Key Quote: “Nazem Ahmad is a suspected terrorist financier and at the time of the business relationship between them it was directly within the knowledge of the defendant that Ahmad had been sanctioned as a terrorist financier of Hezbollah by the United States.” — The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

⚠️ Impact: The case is just the latest to see a BBC presenter pleading guilty to serious crimes in the United Kingdom.

IN FULL:

A Nigerian-British television star and art dealer has pleaded guilty to financial terrorism offences linked to the Islamist terrorist group Hezbollah following a police probe. Oghenochuko ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri, who starred in the BBC program Bargain Hunt, admitted to eight counts of “failing to make a disclosure during the course of business within the regulated sector” on May 9.

The guilty plea came just a day after Ojiri was charged by prosecutors in London for the offences between October 2020 and December 2021. London’s Metropolitan police said that the charges stemmed from Ojiri’s relationship with a man named Nazem Ahmad, who is suspected of being a source of funding for Hezbollah.

Ahmad, a dual citizen of Belgium and Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based, has previously been sanctioned by both the United Kingdom and the United States due to his links to the terror group. Ojiri sold art worth around $186,000 to Ahmad.

“Nazem Ahmad is a suspected terrorist financier and at the time of the business relationship between them it was directly within the knowledge of the defendant that Ahmad had been sanctioned as a terrorist financier of Hezbollah by the United States,” the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Sentencing for Ojiri is expected next month. So far, the BBC has yet to comment on the case, claiming that any comment would not be appropriate.

The case is just the latest to see a BBC personality prosecuted for serious crimes in recent months. Last year, former lead BBC news anchor Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children. Edwards, once the highest-paid news anchor at the BBC, was known worldwide for announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

In Australia, another BBC personality was jailed last August for ten years for raping and killing dozens of dogs. pleading guilty to 56 charges of bestiality and animal cruelty the year prior.

Image by Matt Cornock.

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March 17, 2025
William Upton
NatSec

WATCH: Influential Democrat Praises Islamic Terrorists, Calls Late Hezbollah Chief ‘Beloved.’

An influential Democrat leader with close ties to Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) in North Carolina has praised the Islamist terror groups Hezbollah and Hamas—calling the former’s late leader Hassan Nasrallah “beloved.” Professor Rania Masri, tapped by Gov. Cooper as an advisor on environmental policy for the state, has a long history of support for Islamic extremism and Arab Islamic imperialism—describing herself as being from “the artificially divided land of Greater Syria.”

“They used that amount of bomb to assassinate a beloved, to assassinate Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. And they thought that if that if they would kill our leader that the resistance would crumble,” Rania Masri said during a rally last October for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. Masri continued: “Quite the contrary, every day the Lebanese resistance breaks more records in their divine defense of Lebanon from the Israeli invasion.”

Hassan Nasrallah was a Lebanese Shia cleric and leader of the Hezbollah terrorist group until his death in September 2024, when a Hezbollah command bunker was targeted in an Israeli airstrike. Over the course of several weeks, Israel carried out a series of missions that saw almost the entirety of Hezbollah’s senior command structure eliminated. Nasrallah and his terror group have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Lebanese and Israelis as well as hundreds of Americans since its founding over 40 years ago.

“They thought that by killing many leaders in Hezbollah, they would kill the resistance,” Masri—a close ally of Gov. Cooper—continues, before shifting to praise the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas: “Just like they thought that one year of the genocide in Gaza would kill the resistance in Palestine, but they proven faulty in both.”

Hamas was responsible for the barbaric October 7 terror attacks against Israel.

WATCH:

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

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An influential Democrat leader with close ties to Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) in North Carolina has praised the Islamist terror groups Hezbollah and Hamas—calling the former's late leader Hassan Nasrallah "beloved." Professor Rania Masri, tapped by Gov. Cooper as an advisor on environmental policy for the state, has a long history of support for Islamic extremism and Arab Islamic imperialism—describing herself as being from "the artificially divided land of Greater Syria." show more
February 4, 2025
Politics
World

Trump to Restore ‘Maximum Pressure’ Policy Against Iran, Aiming to Cripple Oil Industry.

President Donald J. Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday reinstating the “maximum pressure” policy against Iran undertaken during his first term in office. The executive order will impose crippling economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic and any company that engages in business with the Iranian oil industry.

U.S. officials say the renewed sanctions are “aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero” and ending “all paths to a nuclear weapon” for the Islamist regime. Additionally, by crippling Iran’s oil industry, the Trump White House believes it can effectively grind the country’s economy to a halt and prevent it from continuing to fund its numerous terrorist proxies across the Middle East, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen.

In 2018, following President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal), the America First leader instituted what was dubbed the “maximum pressure” policy, which saw aggressive sanctions enacted against Iran to cripple the country’s oil industry and economy. The National Pulse previously reported that Trump’s comprehensive sanctions cut Iran’s annual GDP in half by 2020 and reduced the country’s crude oil exports to a historic low of just under 500,000 barrels per day.

Consequently, the “maximum pressure” policy effectively ended Iran’s ability to fund its terror proxies. However, the terrorist groups saw a surge of resources after then-President Joe Biden rescinded Trump’s sanctions in February 2021. In just two years, Iran’s oil exports recovered to 1.5 million barrels per day, and its GDP bounced back to $413 billion per year from a low of $240 billion in 2020. The rescinding of Trump’s Iran sanctions likely played a key role in Hamas’s ability to carry out the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel.

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President Donald J. Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday reinstating the "maximum pressure" policy against Iran undertaken during his first term in office. The executive order will impose crippling economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic and any company that engages in business with the Iranian oil industry. show more
October 19, 2024
War

Iran Just Tried to Assassinate Netanyahu With a Drone.

A drone from the Iran-backed proxy group Hezbollah targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea on Saturday. Although the drone struck near his home, neither Netanyahu nor his family was present at the time. The incident was partially captured on video, showing the drone’s proximity to an Israeli military helicopter, which appeared to be attempting to intercept it.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that this drone was one of three launched from Lebanon, with the remaining two successfully intercepted. The attack has sparked concerns about Israeli defense capabilities, as some observers noted that no warning sirens were sounded in Caesarea when the drone approached. However, sirens were heard in Tel Aviv around the same time.

Following the incident, Netanyahu released a statement on social media, asserting that such actions would not deter Israel and declaring, “We are going to win this war.” He also mentioned the recent killing of Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader, describing a slew of atrocities attributed to Sinwar and his associates.

Israel has been conducting IDF airstrikes in Beirut and expanding ground operations in southern Lebanon.

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A drone from the Iran-backed proxy group Hezbollah targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea on Saturday. Although the drone struck near his home, neither Netanyahu nor his family was present at the time. The incident was partially captured on video, showing the drone's proximity to an Israeli military helicopter, which appeared to be attempting to intercept it. show more
October 17, 2024
William Upton
Immigration
NatSec

Biden-Harris Govt Grants Protected Status to THOUSANDS of Lebanese Nationals & Stateless Migrants.

The Biden-Harris government is announcing it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to any Lebanese nationals in the United States as of October 16, 2024. This move will allow them to remain in the country for a total of 18 months and legally apply for work.

Announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, October 17, the order also applies to “any individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Lebanon.” This would include displaced Palestinians and others—some of whom resided in Lebanon as refugees for decades but are currently in the U.S.—to receive protection from deportation and work permits.

According to DHS estimates, the TPS status would apply to upwards of 11,000 individuals. The Biden-Harris government says the decision stems from the ongoing conflict in Lebanon. At the end of September, Israel launched a limited ground invasion of southern Lebanon, intending to disarm the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.

The invasion comes on the heels of Israel successfully killing the Islamist cleric and leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on the terrorist group’s command bunker in a suburb of Beirut on September 27.

The decision to extend TPS status to Lebanese nationals raises serious national security concerns. It is unknown to what extent U.S. national security officials have vetted the 11,000 Lebanese nationals and stateless individuals.

Earlier this month, an Afghan national was arrested in Oklahoma for plotting an Election Day terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi entered the United States through the “Special Immigrant Visa” (SIV) program after the U.S. exit from Afghanistan.

Concerningly, it is believed that Tawhedi had been vetted by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) while working in a security role for the agency in his native country.

Image by Adam Schultz / Biden for President.

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The Biden-Harris government is announcing it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to any Lebanese nationals in the United States as of October 16, 2024. This move will allow them to remain in the country for a total of 18 months and legally apply for work. show more
October 7, 2024
Media

A Journalist Lit Himself on Fire Outside The White House, Screaming ‘We Spread Misinformation!’

A photojournalist from Phoenix, Arizona, attempted to self-immolate near the White House at Black Lives Matter Plaza on Saturday evening. Samuel Mena Jr., who lists AZFamily’s KTVK 3TV and KPHO CBS 5 News in his resume, set his left arm ablaze while shouting slogans including “Free Palestine!” and “I’m a journalist and I’m ashamed!” during an anti-Israel protest.

CBS News denied any connection to Mela following initial reporting on his stunt, but AZFamily has released a statement confirming he “worked as a news photographer for KTVK/KPHO” and has now been fired.

The incident drew an immediate reaction from the public and law enforcement officials in the area, who extinguished the flames. Mela, whose arm appears severely burned in video footage of the incident, can be heard screaming, “I am a journalist, and we neglected… we spread misinformation!”

No other injuries were reported at the rally, and it continued after Mela was taken away,  with attendees delivering speeches expressing solidarity with the Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

In February, U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell also set himself on fire to protest the war in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. His injuries were more extensive than Mela’s, and he died around seven hours after the stunt.

Warning: Graphic imagery.

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A photojournalist from Phoenix, Arizona, attempted to self-immolate near the White House at Black Lives Matter Plaza on Saturday evening. Samuel Mena Jr., who lists AZFamily's KTVK 3TV and KPHO CBS 5 News in his resume, set his left arm ablaze while shouting slogans including "Free Palestine!" and "I'm a journalist and I'm ashamed!" during an anti-Israel protest. show more
October 7, 2024
Election 2024
War

Here’s How Trump & Harris Are Marking the Oct 7 Anniversary.

Former President Donald J. Trump and his 2024 election opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, are both set to mark the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel today.

President Trump is expected to visit the Brooklyn, NY tomb of Orthodox Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. This evening, Trump will host a remembrance event at his golf club in Doral, Florida. Meanwhile, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will hold a ceremony at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.

“Jewish community leaders will gather to honor the 1,200 lives lost after being taken hostage and killed on that fateful morning one year ago,” the Trump campaign said in a statement before Monday’s remembrance ceremony in Florida. They added: “The event will also remember the victims of antisemitic violence that has continued to afflict communities worldwide since that tragic day.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will plant a small tree on the grounds of the Naval Observatory. Harris will deliver brief remarks. Emhoff, who is recently Jewish, will also attend and receive a prayer at the American Jewish Committee’s National October 7 Memorial commemoration in Washington, D.C.

Joe Biden will mark the day at the White House, holding a small ceremony with rabbis and participating in a yahrzeit candle lighting. Biden has also said he intends to follow Pope Francis’s call for a day of prayer and fasting.

MIDDLE EAST AT WAR. 

A year ago, the Hamas terrorist group launched a series of barbaric attacks against Israel, killing over 1,200 in a single day. In addition, several hundred Israelis—along with dozens of foreign nationals—were taken into the Gaza territory by Hamas as hostages. While a number have been freed, the terror group has murdered several of them.

Currently, it is believed around 100 hostages remain in Gaza—though some suspect only about 70 are still alive. It is believed that seven of the hostages still held are American citizens.

The day also marks the first anniversary of the start of a broader conflict across the Middle East. The Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon have repeatedly attacked Israel since October 7. Consequently, following a series of decapitation strikes, Israel has launched a ground war in Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah.

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Former President Donald J. Trump and his 2024 election opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, are both set to mark the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel today. show more
October 1, 2024
Breaking
War

BREAKING: Iranian Ballistic Missiles Rain Down on Israel.

Iran has launched a significant ballistic missile strike on Israel, with hundreds of projectiles launched into the Jewish state as the war in the region further escalates under the Biden-Harris government’s oversight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, warning of “challenging times” as the country battles what he termed “Iran’s axis of evil.”

The Iranian offensive is believed to have used advanced ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel in fewer than 15 minutes.

Despite Israel’s advanced air defense system, there are concerns that a combination of ballistic missiles, drones, as well as cruise missiles from Iran could overwhelm the infamous Iron Dome as well as other defenses.

High-ranking Iranian officials have vowed a severe response to the recent Israeli assassination of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, warning of the “destruction of the Zionist regime.”

The Pentagon has increased the number of American warplanes in the region. Additionally, the Abraham Lincoln and USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carriers are present, providing naval strength.

Meanwhile, a terror attack – believed to be a shooting – has left four dead in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv.

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Iran has launched a significant ballistic missile strike on Israel, with hundreds of projectiles launched into the Jewish state as the war in the region further escalates under the Biden-Harris government's oversight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, warning of "challenging times" as the country battles what he termed "Iran's axis of evil." show more
October 1, 2024
War

Israeli Airstrike Hits Building Near Iranian Embassy.

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential structure near Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, close to the Iranian Embassy. The airstrike resulted in significant damage to the building and caused windows in the surrounding area to shatter.

The incident occurred on the southern route leading to Beirut’s international airport, impacting an apartment within the building. The Iranian Embassy is approximately 100 meters from the point of impact.

Authorities have yet to disclose the extent of any potential casualties or injuries resulting from the strike. The Lebanese government has not issued an immediate response on the matter.

This airstrike marks the latest development in heightened tensions between Israel, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, and its backers in Iran over recent months. The Israelis killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in a strike on Beirut on Friday and plan to launch a limited ground invasion of Lebanon to root out Hezbollah militants near their northern border.

WATCH:

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On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential structure near Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, close to the Iranian Embassy. The airstrike resulted in significant damage to the building and caused windows in the surrounding area to shatter. show more
September 30, 2024
William Upton
War
World

Israel Set to Launch ‘Limited’ Ground Invasion of Lebanon.

Israel has informed officials in the Biden-Harris government that it will soon launch a limited ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The move comes on the heels of Israeli military strikes over the last several weeks, which have seemingly eliminated nearly the entire senior leadership of the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah. On Friday, the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in a massive airstrike on the terror group’s command bunker just south of the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

According to U.S. officials, the Israelis say the invasion will be much smaller in scale than the 2006 ground war in Lebanon, which saw around 120 Israeli soldiers killed and another 1,200 wounded. Israel estimates the 2006 war resulted in the deaths of 600 Hezbollah fighters, with upwards of 800 wounded. Nearly 1,200 Lebanese civilians were also killed in the war, according to international humanitarian groups. Additionally, Israeli officials have told the U.S. that the latest incursion into Lebanon will be far shorter in duration than the 2006 conflict.

Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel, the Jewish state has been engaged in a multi-front conflict with Hamas in Gaza to its south and with Hezbollah in Lebanon to its north. Both terror groups are considered to be military proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Until now, the conflict has predominately remained isolated to Israel’s southern and northern borders; however, a ground incursion into Lebanon—especially following the decapitation strikes against Hezbollah’s leadership—could provoke a more aggressive response from Iran.

Earlier this month, Israel allegedly used small explosives hidden in pager devices and walkie-talkies to injure or kill hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists.

Image by Israel Defense Forces. 

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Israel has informed officials in the Biden-Harris government that it will soon launch a limited ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The move comes on the heels of Israeli military strikes over the last several weeks, which have seemingly eliminated nearly the entire senior leadership of the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah. On Friday, the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in a massive airstrike on the terror group's command bunker just south of the Lebanese capital of Beirut. show more