Saadah Masoud is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, March 3, 2023. Masoud, an activist with the radical anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, pleaded guilty to “participating in a conspiracy to commit hate crime acts” in connection with multiple physical assaults on Jews in New York City in 2021 and 2022.
Canary Mission In February, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote. Judge Cote revoked Masoud’s pretrial release after Masoud repeatedly violated his bail conditions. As part of his guilty plea, Masoud admitted to committing the following acts of violence:
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“On or about April 20, 2022, Masoud assaulted a victim who was wearing an Israeli flag”
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“On or about June 2, 2021, in Brooklyn, Masoud and a co-conspirator assaulted a victim who was wearing clothing traditionally associated with the Jewish religion, while the victim was sitting outside the victim’s own home:
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“On or about May 20, 2021, in Manhattan, Masoud assaulted a victim who was wearing a Star of David necklace”
The agreed upon sentencing “Guidelines Range” for Masoud’s crimes is 18-24 months in prison. However, due to the lenient plea bargain offered to Waseem Awawdeh, a fellow Within Our Lifetime activist and violent anti-Semitic attacker, Masoud’s lawyers have asked the court for the same. Awawdeh was offered a plea deal of six months of prison time.
It is unconscionable that Masoud’s lawyers are using Awawdeh’s outrageously lenient plea bargain, which amounts to a slap on the wrist of a violent anti-Semitic attacker, to garner the same for Saadah Masoud.
Masoud is charged with three separate assaults, including the horrific attack of Matthew Greenman, an Israel supporter walking to a rally on crutches who was sent to the hospital by Masoud with a concussion and multiple injuries.
When Awawdeh’s plea deal became public, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman remarked, “We are setting a dangerous precedent. We are sending a dangerous message to those people who would engage in any kind of hate crime that New York City, Manhattan, is going to be lenient.”
That dangerous precedent has now been set, and it is up to the city of New York to decide if they will continue to let dangerous anti-Semitic assailants off with a mere slap on the wrist while new assaults occur almost daily.
It is no coincidence either that Masoud is closely following Awawdeh’s trial. The two criminals are longtime friends. When Awawdeh was released from jail after being formally charged, Masoud was there with a group of buddies greetinghim and cheering: “put your head up! …You a f**kin’ Hero!!”
Masoud filmed as Awawdeh’s friends hoisted him onto their shoulders as he held a crutch. His friends chanted: “Free, free Palestine!!” Masoud uploaded the video to his Instagram account – @red_lion_kingg (account since has been deleted).
AND HE IS BACK OUT ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK READY TO ATTACK MORE JEWS!!!
IT IS OPEN SEASON ON JEWS IN NEW YORK!
CC: @BilldeBlasio @NYGovCuomo @POTUS @CivilRights https://t.co/hM8mJmZ8H9 pic.twitter.com/sR3wH6RRbh
— Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) May 23, 2021
xenonman says
Such lenient sentences are virtually an endorsement for the escalation of assaults of this type.