A New York woman who allegedly led a radical anti-Israel group and posed with hand grenades in front of a Hamas flag has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.
Catherine Beth Washburn, 37, of Irondequoit, a suburb of Rochester, made her initial court appearance Tuesday before a federal magistrate judge and was ordered detained pending trial. She faces up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force recovered electronic communications between Washburn and an individual in Gaza who identified himself as a PIJ fighter and claimed to have taken part in attacks against Israel, including the October 7, 2023, massacre. In one message, Washburn allegedly wrote that she wished "every day were October 7th," adding that if she lived in Gaza she would fight alongside the terror group. She also allegedly said she hated Jewish people "very much" and wished Israel "would disappear," and that she felt excited every time she saw news of the killing of an Israeli soldier.
Financial records cited in the complaint show Washburn made approximately eighty cryptocurrency transactions, totaling roughly $30,116, to an account used by the PIJ fighter. In a November 2025 message, she allegedly joked about the risk of prosecution, writing that based on her past fundraising and posting she was "gonna get put away for a few life times," followed by a laughing emoji.
Prosecutors say Washburn led the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation, an extremist group formed after the October 7 attacks that rejects peaceful protest in favor of what it calls direct action, including property destruction and sabotage against targets it associates with Israel.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Washburn repeatedly voiced support for violence against Israeli civilians and attempted to funnel cryptocurrency to a foreign terrorist organization, adding that those who aid such groups will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said Washburn's alleged efforts, fueled by what he described as her self-professed hatred of Israel and Jewish people, were ultimately stopped.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York alongside the Justice Department's National Security Division. A complaint is merely an allegation, and Washburn is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
