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Jailed Hamas-financing suspect Albustanji appears in video sermon from Italian prison

Il Giornale reported that Riyad Albustanji, held in Sardinia on suspicion of financing Hamas, delivered a sermon praising Gaza fighters in a video call that was later posted online. Both outlets carry the same Media Line report.

2 outlets · 0L · 1C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: The Media Line
Image: The Jerusalem Post

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The story, neutrally told

MixedRiyad Albustanji, a Palestinian activist held in a high-security Italian prison on allegations of financing Hamas, praised fighters in Gaza, invoked martyrdom and called for divine punishment against Israel and its allies during a video call that later appeared on social media, Il Giornale reported on Thursday 1 October. CentreKnown among supporters as "the sheikh", Albustanji is detained in the high-security section of Bancali prison in Sassari, Sardinia. MixedAccording to Il Giornale, he spoke in Arabic with relatives and delivered a religious sermon on the war in Gaza and the Palestinian struggle against Israel; people managing his social media accounts then posted the footage, which the newspaper said may violate prison regulations.

CentreIn Il Giornale's transcription he asked God to grant victory to "Your fighters in Gaza, in Palestine" and to "guide their shots", prayed for their wounded, martyrs and prisoners, and invoked martyrdom for himself and others "for Your cause". CentreHe also called on God to employ believers "for the liberation of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque", sought punishment against "the criminal Zionists and all their allies", and called for fear and anguish among his enemies and the destruction of their possessions. CentreIl Giornale said parts of the sermon resembled terminology associated with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, including references to armed "resistance", fighters, martyrs and prisoners.

MixedAlbustanji was arrested in December 2025 with Mohammad Hannoun and other suspects in a Genoa prosecutors' investigation into alleged financial support for Hamas; prosecutors allege he belonged to a network that moved money to Hamas through organisations formally operating as humanitarian charities. MixedANSA reported on 18 September that prosecutors had concluded their preliminary investigation into Albustanji, Hannoun and four other suspects, with Albustanji, Hannoun, Yaser Elasaly and Raed Dawoud still in high-security detention. The defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Reports Il Giornale's account of the sermon, relaying its transcription and the prosecutors' allegations, with the presumption of innocence noted.
Emphasis
The sermon's content and the possible breach of prison rules.
Leaves out or plays down
No response from Albustanji, his lawyers or prison authorities.
Charged language
“armed groups”
For example
“Il Giornale said parts of the sermon resembled terminology associated with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups” — The Media Line

Right1 outlet

Framing
Runs the same Media Line report under the Jerusalem Post's Islamic terrorism section, with near-identical text and a subheading on the arrest.
Emphasis
The sermon's content and the terrorism-financing allegations.
Leaves out or plays down
No response from Albustanji, his lawyers or prison authorities.
Charged language
“Palestinian terrorist groups”
For example
“resembled terminology associated with Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups” — The Jerusalem Post