A former British diplomat reveals Khalil, described by Trump as a 'Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student', was 'cleared to work on sensitive issues for the British government'
Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian Columbia University graduate detained by US immigration authorities over the weekend, worked for the British government on its "flagship soft power policy" for years, Middle East Eye can reveal.
Khalil, a permanent resident of the US, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Saturday night.
A federal judge temporarily blocked his deportation, and Khalil is currently awaiting proceedings in a federal jail in Louisiana.
On Monday, in a post on Donald Trump's Truth Social platform, the US president described Khalil as a "Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student" and announced that his arrest was "the first arrest of many to come".
"We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it," Trump said.
The White House triumphally posted Trump's statement and an image of Khalil on X on Monday, accompanied with the words "SHALOM, MAHMOUD" and the accusation that he "led activities aligned to Hamas".
Khalil graduated with a master’s degree from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs in December.
He was one of the main negotiators for students during the pro-Palestine campus encampment in the spring of 2024.
However, MEE has found that he previously worked as a programme manager at the Syria Office in the British embassy in Beirut from 2018 t0 2022.
Online records reviewed by MEE show that Khalil worked as a local manager for the Syria Chevening Program, a prestigious UK government international scholarship scheme, as well as for the Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund. (more...)
Mahmoud Khalil: Palestinian graduate arrested in US worked for UK 'flagship soft power policy'
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