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Jewish Center Bomb Threat Suspect Is Arrested in Israel Jewish Center Bomb Threat Suspect Is Arrested in Israel
(35 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — A Jewish teenager in Israel made a wave of threats to Jewish institutions in the United States and other countries in recent months, contributing to fears of a spike in anti-Semitism, law enforcement officials said on Thursday after the man was arrested. JERUSALEM — A monthslong wave of bomb threats against Jewish institutions in the United States that prompted evacuations, heightened security and fears of rising anti-Semitism gave way to an unexpected twist on Thursday. The person responsible for many of the threats, law enforcement officials said, was half a world away, in Israel, a Jewish teenager.
The 18-year-old suspect, who holds dual Israeli and American citizenship, suffers from a brain tumor that can affect his behavior, his lawyer said. An intensive investigation spanning multiple countries culminated on Thursday in the arrest of the 18-year-old suspect, who holds dual Israeli and American citizenship, and his father. The teenager’s lawyer said he suffered from a brain tumor that could affect his behavior.
An Israeli police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said that the man, who lives in the Ashkelon area of southern Israel, had made threats to Jewish community centers and other sites in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and to at least one commercial airline flight, prompting an emergency landing. The authorities did not offer a motive. The surge in threats over the past few months — well over 100 sent to Jewish community centers, schools and museums since the start of the year — coincided with an increase in hate crimes against a number of groups, from scrawled swastikas to homicides, feeding worries about a new era of bigotry. American and Israeli officials refused to say how many of the threats the Israeli suspect was accused of making. And some recent anti-Semitic acts were apparently committed by others, like threats against Jewish centers for which a Missouri man was charged, and the vandalizing of Jewish cemeteries.
“This is the guy we are talking about,” Mr. Rosenfeld said. But officials made it clear that they considered the teenager as the primary source of the threats, though they did not offer a motive. “This is the guy we are talking about,” an Israeli police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld, said.
A judge ordered the suspect, who has not been charged, held until at least March 30 and ordered a medical examination. The police also arrested the suspect’s father, who was ordered held for eight days, on suspicion that he might have been aware of the threats, or even been involved. The father denies any knowledge of the threats, his lawyer said. The judge imposed an order of silence forbidding Israeli authorities to release either man’s name. The suspect made threats to sites in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the United States, and to at least one commercial airline flight, prompting an emergency landing, Mr. Rosenfeld said.
The teenager, who was born in Israel, has a brain tumor that can affect his cognitive abilities and lead to “irrational” behavior, but he has no criminal record, his lawyer, Galit Bash, said. She refused to say whether her client had admitted or denied involvement. A judge ordered the suspect, who has not been charged, held until at least March 30 and ordered a medical examination. His father was also ordered held for eight days, on suspicion that he might have been aware of the threats, or even been involved.
Ms. Bash and the father’s lawyer, Eran Rau, who are both from the Office of the Israeli Public Defender, said the young man was an only child who lived with his parents and had been home-schooled, which is unusual in Israel. The father denies any knowledge of the threats, his lawyer said. The judge imposed an order of silence forbidding Israeli authorities to release either man’s name.
While most Israelis are drafted into military service, the teenager was rejected, which Ms. Bash said was because of his medical condition. Israeli media reported that she said in court that he had the tumor since he was 14. The teenager, who was born in Israel, has a brain tumor that can affect his cognitive abilities and lead to “irrational” behavior, but he has no criminal record, his lawyer, Galit Bash, said. She would not say whether her client had admitted or denied involvement.
The father, an engineer in his early 50s, also has no criminal record, and was cooperating with investigators, Mr. Rau said. He said his client was concerned primarily with his son’s welfare, given his medical condition. Ms. Bash and the father’s lawyer, Eran Rau, who are both from the Office of the Israeli Public Defender, said the young man was an only child who lived with his parents and had been home-schooled, which is unusual in Israel. While most Israelis are drafted into military service, the teenager was rejected, which Ms. Bash said was because of his medical condition. Israeli media reported that she said in court that he had the tumor since he was 14.
The father, an engineer in his early 50s, was cooperating with investigators, Mr. Rau said. He said his client, who also has no criminal record, was concerned primarily with his son’s welfare, given his medical condition.
“This all seems very strange and preliminary to me,” Mr. Rau said.“This all seems very strange and preliminary to me,” Mr. Rau said.
Israeli news outlets reported that when the teenager was arrested, he tried to grab an officer’s gun. In his brief court appearance, the suspect, wearing khaki cargo pants, bowed his head and pulled his shirt up to conceal his face.Israeli news outlets reported that when the teenager was arrested, he tried to grab an officer’s gun. In his brief court appearance, the suspect, wearing khaki cargo pants, bowed his head and pulled his shirt up to conceal his face.
The arrest appeared to be a turning point after months of investigation and waves of turmoil and panic, as Jewish community centers across the United States reported more than 100 bomb threats since the beginning of the year. The calls, which President Trump condemned during an address to Congress last month, led to evacuations and bomb sweeps and heightened worries about anti-Semitism across the country. On Thursday morning, after months of investigation and waves of turmoil and panic, the Federal Bureau of Investigation held a conference call with leaders of Jewish organizations to discuss the surprising denouement to the investigation. As the news spread, it drew mixed reactions from Jewish leaders and anti-discrimination groups who tried to make sense of it.
A Missouri man was arrested this month and charged with making some of the recent anti-Semitic threats. But some acts, like the vandalizing of Jewish cemeteries, were apparently committed by others, still unidentified. It was not immediately clear how many threats investigators had traced to the teenager. Joel Dinkin, the executive vice president of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, said that it was “a little bit perplexing from the standpoint of the fact that it’s somebody Jewish.”
On Thursday morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation held a conference call with leaders of Jewish organizations to discuss the arrest. In the hours after the announcement, Joel Dinkin, the executive vice president of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston, said in an interview that it was “a little bit perplexing from the standpoint of the fact that it’s somebody Jewish.” Jonathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, cautioned that many of the people responsible for anti-Semitic threats, vandalism and “a torrent of abuse online” remained at large. And even the threats attributed to the Israeli teenager, he said, should still be considered acts of anti-Semitism.
But Jonathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, cautioned that many of the people responsible for anti-Semitic threats, vandalism and “a torrent of abuse online” remained at large. And even the threats attributed to the Israeli teenager, he said, should still be considered acts of anti-Semitism.
“The motive may have been unclear, but the impact was crystal clear,” Mr. Greenblatt said. “These were acts that terrorized a community just because of their faith.”“The motive may have been unclear, but the impact was crystal clear,” Mr. Greenblatt said. “These were acts that terrorized a community just because of their faith.”
Critics of President Trump have tied him to a rise in hate crimes, pointing to his anti-immigrant remarks and accusing him of not condemning attacks swiftly or strongly enough. On Feb. 28, in a meeting with state attorneys general, Mr. Trump suggested that some of the threats and vandalism could be a politically motivated effort to “make people look bad,” rather than actual bigotry, according to people who took part in the meeting. The comment troubled Jewish leaders and people who track hate crimes, who saw it as playing down real dangers. Critics of President Trump have accused him of playing down hatred and violence against minority groups, and charged that his anti-immigrant remarks are fueling conflict. He did not publicly condemn the anti-Semitic threats and vandalism until Feb. 21, weeks after Jewish groups began calling on him to speak out. On Feb. 28, in a meeting with state attorneys general, Mr. Trump suggested that some of the threats and vandalism could be a politically motivated effort to “make people look bad,” rather than actual expressions of bias, according to people who took part in the meeting.
Despite the arrest, “we hope our elected officials will directly confront the wave of hate violence that we’ve seen since the election,” said Heidi Beirich, the director of the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Project.Despite the arrest, “we hope our elected officials will directly confront the wave of hate violence that we’ve seen since the election,” said Heidi Beirich, the director of the Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Project.
The person who made the calls sent them through the internet, and used sophisticated software to disguise his location and camouflage his voice, which slowed the investigation, the authorities said. When the Israeli police searched the suspect’s house, investigators confiscated computers, an antenna and other equipment.The person who made the calls sent them through the internet, and used sophisticated software to disguise his location and camouflage his voice, which slowed the investigation, the authorities said. When the Israeli police searched the suspect’s house, investigators confiscated computers, an antenna and other equipment.
An American official said it appeared that the man had used Tor, a widely available anonymity software that masks a computer’s true whereabouts by routing its internet traffic through various points around the globe. Many people use Tor, which is managed by a nonprofit digital privacy group, including those conducting illicit business and activists trying to avoid government censorship or surveillance.An American official said it appeared that the man had used Tor, a widely available anonymity software that masks a computer’s true whereabouts by routing its internet traffic through various points around the globe. Many people use Tor, which is managed by a nonprofit digital privacy group, including those conducting illicit business and activists trying to avoid government censorship or surveillance.
“The investigation began in several countries at the same time, in which dozens of threatening calls were received at public places, events, synagogues and community buildings that caused panic and disrupted events and activities in various organizations,” the Israeli police said in a statement.“The investigation began in several countries at the same time, in which dozens of threatening calls were received at public places, events, synagogues and community buildings that caused panic and disrupted events and activities in various organizations,” the Israeli police said in a statement.
The F.B.I. worked closely with Israeli authorities on the investigation, starting in September — months before American organizations began to note a surge in threats to American targets, according to Cary Gleicher, the bureau’s top agent in Israel.The F.B.I. worked closely with Israeli authorities on the investigation, starting in September — months before American organizations began to note a surge in threats to American targets, according to Cary Gleicher, the bureau’s top agent in Israel.
Some of the earliest American targets of bomb threats were schools, centers and museums in Alaska, Florida and New York that were affiliated with Chabad-Lubavtich, an Orthodox Jewish movement, according to a Chabad official. The movement did not publicize the threats, and they received little or no news coverage.Some of the earliest American targets of bomb threats were schools, centers and museums in Alaska, Florida and New York that were affiliated with Chabad-Lubavtich, an Orthodox Jewish movement, according to a Chabad official. The movement did not publicize the threats, and they received little or no news coverage.
Mr. Gleicher said he met in early March in Washington with James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, who asked about efforts to find the person making the threatening calls, and made it clear that he had “great interest in getting this thing done.” In mid-March, Mr. Comey met with Jewish leaders at bureau headquarters in Washington to brief them on the investigation.Mr. Gleicher said he met in early March in Washington with James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, who asked about efforts to find the person making the threatening calls, and made it clear that he had “great interest in getting this thing done.” In mid-March, Mr. Comey met with Jewish leaders at bureau headquarters in Washington to brief them on the investigation.
“I left with a level of confidence that they were definitively making strides,” said Jerry B. Silverman, chief executive of the Jewish Federations of North America. “It was clear that they were moving at very rapid pace.”“I left with a level of confidence that they were definitively making strides,” said Jerry B. Silverman, chief executive of the Jewish Federations of North America. “It was clear that they were moving at very rapid pace.”
The American-Israeli cooperation intensified last week, when the F.B.I. sent 14 people — both agents and technical experts — to Israel to assist in the investigation, Mr. Gleicher said in an interview from Israel.The American-Israeli cooperation intensified last week, when the F.B.I. sent 14 people — both agents and technical experts — to Israel to assist in the investigation, Mr. Gleicher said in an interview from Israel.
“This was a big deal,” he said, adding that it took the resources of both countries to get “across the finish line.”“This was a big deal,” he said, adding that it took the resources of both countries to get “across the finish line.”
“Monday was the eureka moment,” he said, when investigators figured out who was making the calls.“Monday was the eureka moment,” he said, when investigators figured out who was making the calls.
In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who described the threats as “hate crimes,” said, “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will not tolerate the targeting of any community in this country on the basis of their religious beliefs.”In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who described the threats as “hate crimes,” said, “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will not tolerate the targeting of any community in this country on the basis of their religious beliefs.”
The case in Israel is separate from that of the St. Louis man who was arrested this month and accused of making at least a half-dozen other threats to Jewish centers. In a complaint in Federal District Court in Manhattan, the authorities said that man, Juan Thompson, had acted as part of an effort to intimidate a former girlfriend.