An 18-year-old US-Israeli citizen is allegedly behind most of the Jewish community center bomb threats
Peter Jacobs,Business Insider Thu, Mar 23 5:59 AM PDT
An 18-year-old man has been arrested in Israel over a series of bomb threats made to Jewish community centers worldwide over a six month period, according to The Jerusalem Post.
A US-Israeli citizen, the suspect is reportedly responsible for bomb and other threats across the US, as well as in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. He is a Jewish Israeli, the Associated Press reports.
"Sources indicate that most of the cases of threats against Jewish communities and organizations, though not all, led investigators back to Israel," The Jerusalem Post reports.
It seems the suspect was born outside of the country, as The Jerusalem Post article notes he "made aliya" — a term used to describe someone who moved to Israel. The newspaper reports he "is not in the IDF, not ultra-Orthodox ... and possibly has psychological and social problems."
Israel reportedly intends to indict the 18-year-old in the country's courts and, according to The Jerusalem Post, it's unknown whether the US or other countries will look to extradite the suspect. The investigation was led by Israel with the help of the FBI and police from other countries, according to the AP.
The suspect's father has also been arrested, and is being questioned by Israeli authorities. Police believe the suspect "was the main operator of the scare-spree and might have even acted completely on his own," according to The Jerusalem Post.
Attacks and threats on the US Jewish community have grown since President Donald Trump's election in November.
"At least 100 Jewish community centers and schools in 33 states have reported bomb and other threats this year," AFP reported in early March.
Additionally, hundreds of gravestones have been vandalized in numerous incidents across the country.
Former Intercept reporter Juan Thompson was arrested by the FBI on March 3 in connection with bomb threats made to at least eight Jewish community centers, schools, and the Anti-Defamation League's Manhattan headquarters.
Police sources told ABC News and NBC News at the time that they didn't think Thompson was behind most of these threats.
Michelle Mark contributed reporting to this article.