The arrest of a dual US and German citizen, Joseph Neumayer, has raised concerns amid escalating tensions, particularly following a recent shooting incident involving Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC.
US Citizen Arrested for Allegedly Plotting Attack on US Embassy in Israel
US Citizen Arrested for Allegedly Plotting Attack on US Embassy in Israel
A 28-year-old man is accused of planning a firebomb attack against the US embassy in Tel Aviv using Molotov cocktails.
A 28-year-old dual citizen of the US and Germany, Joseph Neumayer, was taken into custody at John F Kennedy Airport in New York on Sunday for allegedly planning to attack the US embassy in Tel Aviv. According to the justice department, Neumayer was apprehended after Israeli authorities deported him for possessing explosive devices, specifically Molotov cocktails, in a backpack near the embassy premises.
Neumayer was reported to have made threats against the embassy and even against the life of former President Trump. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, "This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump's life."
Federal officials noted that Neumayer had entered Israel in April, but it was on May 19 that he approached the US Embassy with a dark-colored bag, allegedly attempting to provoke an embassy guard. When the guard attempted to detain him, Neumayer reportedly fled but left behind his backpack, containing three incendiary devices designed to cause fires.
Authorities later located Neumayer at his hotel to arrest him and found evidence of his alarming social media activity. Posts on his account included threats to "burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv" and calls for "death to America, death to Americans." Allegations also surfaced regarding his threats to assassinate Trump via a second social media account believed to be connected to him.
Neumayer was subsequently transported back to the United States where he now faces potential charges that could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted. This incident unfolds in a tense context, as just days prior, a shooting claimed the lives of two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC. In response to this recent violence, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem plans to attend a memorial for the victims in Israel on Monday.
