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THE FBI HAS arrested a man in St Louis, Missouri suspected of making bomb threats to Jewish community centres and schools around the United States.
The Justice Department said Juan Thompson, 31, was thought to be behind at least eight of more than 100 threats made in recent weeks to Jewish schools, community centres and other institutions, that have stirred fears of a rise in anti-Semitism.
The agency said the threats were made as part of Thompson’s efforts to harass an unnamed former girlfriend.
“Today, we have charged Juan Thompson with allegedly stalking a former romantic interest by, among other things, making bomb threats in her name to Jewish Community Centers and to the Anti-Defamation League,” New York-based US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.
Threats of violence targeting people and places based on religion or race –- whatever the motivation –- are unacceptable, un-American and criminal.
Thompson allegedly emailed in threats against the Jewish institutions that indicated his ex-girlfriend was behind the threats.
He also made some in his own name, but as ploys to allege that she was trying to frame him for the crime.
Thompson was charged with one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Jewish cemeteries attacked
Officials said investigations remain open into the other threats against Jewish schools, community centres and other institutions, as well as vandalism against three Jewish cemeteries.
Many of the scores of bomb threats were phoned in. Jewish community officials say those calls appeared to use electronic devices to mask the voice and location of the caller or callers.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, which investigates hate crimes, is leading the probe, officials said. But the statement on Thompson’s arrest said his prosecution also involves the department’s counterterrorism and general crimes units.
While the bomb threats appear to have halted in recent days, overnight on Wednesday someone toppled about a dozen headstones and defaced pictures on them in a Jewish cemetery in Rochester, New York.
It was the third Jewish cemetery in two weeks to be vandalised. More than 200 headstones were overturned or broken in cemeteries in St Louis, Missouri and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, adding to fears of a rise in open anti-Semitism in the country.
Meredith Dragon, chief executive of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, said local police were not yet ready to determine whether what happened there was an act of petty vandalism or a targeted hate crime.
As no local Jewish community centres or schools were targeted in the recent spate of telephone threats, it “leads me to believe this has been local,” she said.
Trump comments questioned
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump condemned the threats and vandalism in a speech before Congress, saying such acts “remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.”
But earlier that day, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Trump suggested to a group of state prosecutors that some of the threats and acts of vandalism could be “the reverse,” suggesting they were aimed not at Jews but at making others look bad politically.
Shapiro told NPR radio yesterday that such mixed messages from the president “stokes doubt” in the public about what is going on.
“I don’t know what the president meant,” he said. “But here’s what I know, is that presidents must speak with moral clarity, not through mixed messages…. And this kind of wishy-washy speech leaves too much open to interpretation by the wrong people.”
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The west is too weak on border security. If you entered illegally you should be sent home within days.
@Brian Boru: Maybe if the west stayed out of other countries and refrained from stirring up coups, then there would be less turmoil, resulting in more stability, which in turn would mean less people on the move.
Some might say, if America refrained from stirring up coups in SA, said continent would be rife with communist tinpot dictatorships. For example when Cuba fell to Castro’s communist regime, it almost started WW3 via Russia wishing to install nukes there, but it also initiated an exodus of people from Cuba to the USA. Point being, whatever regime evolves in a poor country, you will always get a people with envious eyes looking to migrate to a richer country. Question is, how long before said richer destinations implode under the pressure of poor immigrants? Or is this too much truth?
@Keth Tgi: Was the USA involved in confrontations with an independent country, the answer is yes, which backs up the comment made. If countries involved in a political struggle, then it is up to that country to confront it not outside forces. You didn’t mention how Castro ousted the criminal/terrorist Batista in your analysis of the situation, you also failed to mention how the mafia had a grip on the country and was using the island to launder it’s ill gotten gains. Castro fixed the problem, not Batista and not the USA.
@bernard berry: I also forgot to mention that the USA led by JFK, who’s father’s past was suspect to say the least, used said Italian organization (sam giancanna + co) to try and eliminate Castro. This is the same JFK adored by the Irish who himself only became president after a campaign led by the Italian organization to make him president.
I would have thought that the US is quite underpopulated at 330 million for such a vast country, all free open economies need a steady flow of cheap labour, now criminals you don’t want so I understand vetting of new migrants is required, I just think republican politicians opposed to any Mexican and central Americans arriving is more about future voting habits, and not really about criminality. A bit like our own DUP up the road, they just can’t handle their voting block been slowly diluted. Texas republicans just can’t have Texas becoming a California. The criminality thing in my opinion is just a red herring. It’s more about the browning of southern states but especially Texas.
@bernard berry:
True, not all facts were present, but neither were existing facts untrue. I wonder what the Cuban people would make of your reply?
@Keth Tgi: As I have said, I think it is for the people of the nation in question to fight their own political fights.
One could also aske the population of our own country their feelings on the present government, I am sure there would be a mixed reaction depending on the people asked, one might get very different opinions.
P.s. I don’t want to come across as hostile towards your or your comment, I just feel that these extremely complex situations can be made to appear as simple, when in fact they have multiple facets of complexity.
@bernard berry: I will finish by saying one more uncomfartible truth…
Castro sCuba was/is designed for it’s people, He chucked out the criminals and those alligned to the former dictator, along with anyone else that wanted to leave. The USA’s part of Cuba is used for illegal torture and rendition, who is the righteous and who is not, depends on how one views situation. Personally , I would rather live in Castro’s Cuba than live in America’s Cuba.
@bernard berry: Thanks Barry. I think I see where you’re coming from.
@Keth Tgi: Barry, Bernard, what’s in a name : )
Would be quite easy to close borders if the state really wanted to.
Have they taken down the great big wall that the obnoxious Donald built? It was the greatest big wall ever built. Ever! It was a beautiful wall.
MILLIONS of people will flood in according to Donald. MILLIONS? Hyperbole at its finest.
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