FBI Arrests 18-Year-Old Over Threats To Carry Out Mass Shooting Attacks At Gay Clubs, Synagogues
Image: Representational Image. Photo by Hendo Wang on Unsplash
Last week, the FBI said they had arrested Omar Alkattoul, 18, a Sayreville, New Jersey resident, over threats to carry out a violent attack on synagogues and gay clubs.
Omar, a student of Sayreville High School, was arrested on November 10, 2022, and charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce in early November. He faces a prison term of up to five years and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
“When we learn of credible threats to our community – whether based in hate toward religion, race, sexual orientation, or gender – we call on law enforcement and community partners to assist in identifying and mitigating that threat,” Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said in a statement.
‘My Parents Don’t Like Guns’
According to the prosecution, Omar communicated with many persons, who he believed were ISIS operatives, about his plan to carry out attacks.
He told one person he could conduct an attack on Jewish or gay people but did not have the resources to do so. He told investigators that if he were to carry out an attack he would choose a mass shooting attack.
He told a group chat that “God cursed the Jewish people and God should burn gay people”.
In September 2022, Omar posted in a group chat that he would punch in the face or curb stomp the next “f****t” he saw”. He told investigators that the group chat consisted of individuals who were “LARP-ing” (live-action role-playing) as terrorist/jihadis.”
In October 2022, he told one user that he was planning an attack “but it’s gonna take me years to prepare for it because I don’t have items and my parents do not like guns.” He added that he would carry out an al-Qaeda-affiliated attack on a synagogue or gay nightclub.
Accused Wanted To Avenge Christchurch Attacks
“I am taking a class in college next year that teaches how to hack and how to go on the dark web and I feel like that would be useful and somewhat relevant in going on jihad,” Omar said.
On November 1, 2022, he posted a link to a document on a social media app titled “When Swords Collide” which justified an attack on Jewish people.
“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,” said US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger in a statement
Omar claimed he wanted to avenge the killings of Muslims, including the 2019 Christchurch attacks on two mosques in New Zealand.
