Badar Khan Suri, an Indian scholar, had his life trajectory changed 15 years ago by an invitation from a classmate. Now, he is facing deportation from the United States due to accusations of being associated with members of Hamas. This incident has sparked widespread attention and prompted scrutiny of Suri's past experiences.
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She pointed out that her professor volunteered for the Israeli military. Her university suspended her
03-25, 2025On that summer evening, Mr. Suri was sitting outside the department at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi when a classmate announced the upcoming organization of an international aid convoy to Gaza. The Gaza Strip is controlled by the Islamic armed group Hamas and is under Israeli blockade. For a student of conflict studies, this convoy, composed of over 150 people from various Asian countries, offered a rare opportunity to observe one of the world's most contested regions up close.
According to a classmate who spoke to the BBC, Suri readily agreed to participate. It was during this trip that he met Palestinian woman Mafiz Saleh, the daughter of a former Hamas advisor, and they married a few months later. After living in Delhi for nearly a decade, the couple moved to the United States, where Suri took a position as a postdoctoral researcher at the prestigious Georgetown University.
After living in Virginia for nearly three years, police knocked on his door and arrested him on the evening of March 17. Three days later, on March 20, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated on Twitter that Suri was detained due to his "close association" with "known or suspected terrorists, senior Hamas advisors." He denies these allegations. This action comes amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and activists involved in pro-Palestinian campus protests, which authorities accuse of inciting anti-Semitism and supporting Hamas. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, but India has not banned the group.
Despite Suri entering the United States legally on a student visa, and his deportation order being blocked by a U.S. court, the Trump administration's accusations have shocked those who know him. Acquaintances describe him as a soft-spoken, shy, and diligent student with a broad understanding of the world. His classmates and teachers have stated that they believe the allegations of his connection to Hamas are "untenable."
India has historically supported the Palestinian cause. However, in recent years, India has also established close strategic ties with Israel, and Delhi often avoids criticizing Israeli actions. Even so, a professor at Jamia University told the BBC, "Under no circumstances can Suri be linked to any illegal activity." "Holding an opinion on the conflict that is happening is not a crime. As a conflict studies scholar, sharing his analysis of the Gaza war is entirely within his professional purview."
Those who participated in the trip with him hold similar views. Feroz Mithiborwala, one of the organizers of the convoy, recalled that Suri was an intelligent, young man. "In our discussions, he always took a secular stance. He wasn't the kind of right-wing Islamist," he said. The trip began in Delhi in December 2010. Because India's neighbor Pakistan refused to issue travel permits to the group, the convoy had to travel to Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt before finally reaching Gaza.
A friend of Suri who also participated in the trip said that the route, mostly completed by bus, provided many opportunities for students of peace and conflict studies. He added that throughout the journey, he was deeply moved by the suffering he witnessed in Gaza and focused on providing assistance to widows and the elderly. Another classmate who remained in contact with Suri stated that in many ways, the convoy "brought Suri closer to the Palestinian cause," but his interest was primarily academic.
Suri's second and final trip to Gaza was to marry Ms. Saleh. Ms. Saleh, a U.S. citizen, was working as a translator and volunteer in Gaza at the time. According to a statement she submitted in court, her father, who used to be an advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh who was killed by Israel last year, currently resides in the United States. The statement also added that in 2010, her father left the Gaza government "and in 2011 founded the House of Wisdom to encourage peace and conflict resolution in Gaza."
A friend who accompanied him on the convoy told the BBC that Ms. Saleh and Suri didn't say much to each other the first time they met. But they reconnected months later. Their wedding made headlines in India, and the couple moved back to Delhi and continued to live there for about eight years. Ms. Saleh pursued a master's degree at Jamia University and later worked at the Qatari embassy. In 2023, Suri moved to the United States, and Ms. Saleh came with him. At the time of his arrest, he was only a few months away from completing his fellowship.
Suri's father said that he was pained to see his son in this situation. "Apart from the marriage, he has no connection with Hamas or Palestine. His sin is that he married a Palestinian woman," he said. But he hopes that his son will not be deported. "After all, these are merely allegations. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing," he added.
