An 18-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly making broad threats against New Jersey synagogues earlier this month, warning online that he planned to act on his “hatred toward Jews,” federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Omar Alkattoul, 18, has been charged with sharing “a manifesto containing threats to attack a synagogue and Jewish people” on social media, the Department of Justice said.
Alkattoul allegedly shared the document, titled “When Swords Collide,” with someone, telling them he wrote it “in the context of an attack on Jews.”
“I am the attacker and I would like to introduce myself … I am a Muslim with so many regrets but I can assure you this attack is not one of them,” he said, according to federal prosecutors.
Alkattoul sent the document to at least five other people, and allegedly described his motivation in the planned attack as “hatred towards Jews and their heinous acts.”
Alkattoul allegedly shared a manifesto about “an attack on Jews.” AP Photo/Ryan KryskaIn the documents, he also accused Jewish people of supporting violence and hatred toward Muslims.
“Let’s be aware of the fact that the Jews promote the biggest hatred against Muslimeen even in the west,” he allegedly wrote.
The threat, which FBI later said had been “mitigated,” spurred an increased police presence at synagogues and yeshivas across the Garden State earlier this month.
“No one should be targeted for violence or with acts of hate because of how they worship,” US Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a statement announcing the arrest.
“According to the complaint, this defendant used social media to send a manifesto containing a threat to attack a synagogue based on his hatred of Jews. Along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we acted swiftly to respond to the alleged threat.”
Alkattoul, who is from Sayreville, New Jersey, is charged with transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce, a federal crime punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
He is scheduled to appear later Thursday before a federal magistrate. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.
