A man who was seen lighting a Molotov cocktail and throwing it at the front door of a New Jersey synagogue has been arrested, according to the FBI. The suspect, Nicholas Malindretos, a 25-year-old man from Clifton, is expected to face federal arson-related charges.
The FBI was able to track Malindretos through video footage of his Volkswagen that was going to and from the synagogue located in Bloomfield, NJ, and license plate reader matching. When his vehicle was found, clothing that was similar to the ones seen in the video were discovered inside.
According to officials familiar with the investigation, Malindretos is believed to have a history of emotional issues. The Temple Ner Tamid released a statement following the arrest, saying that police will be investigating the suspect’s ties to individuals or groups with hateful, violent, traitorous, or insurrectionist goals.
No one was hurt in the attempted firebombing at the temple. The flaming bottle did not damage the temple as it broke on the shatter-resistant doors, which were installed as part of several security upgrades made over the years. Rabbi Marc Katz thanked the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness grant for the recent security enhancements. He stated that the synagogue will continue to do everything in their power to keep the community safe but he cannot convince the community not to grow despondent.
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4 Responses
No need to mention the reform clergyman’s name, and if you must, don’t call him rabbi.
I find it a terrible shame and a CHILUL HASHEM to incessantly refer to Reform institutions as “synagogues”, and Reform clergymen as “Rabbi”. It is an affront to true, Torah-bound Judaism, and I cannot imagine that any respectable Torah authority would permit such use of the terminology — and if such an authority exists, I think their name should be known as he who paskened such a thing.
This practice is in effect legitimizing a way of KEFIRA which has been a source of religious confusion for many, many Jews over the years, leading them astray on a path they fantasize to be Hashem’s will, when in fact it is anything but…
“Federal arson charges”!!!?!?!?
How about felony hate crime (i.e. serious jail time) charges??!?!?
Reform “Temple”