‘BOMB’ SHELL BUST
Israeli teen 'behind threats to US Jews'
A teenager with dual US-Israeli citizenship was busted in Israel Thursday for the recent series of fake bomb threats that targeted Jewish community centers in the United States.
The suspect is accused of calling in anonymous threats using a phone on his computer in Israel and using technology to conceal his identity and voice-changing software to disguise his voice.
In one recording, he allegedly phoned a Jewish institution on Jan. 18, claiming there was a “C-4 bomb with a lot of shrapnel” inside, according to the Israel newspaper Haaretz.
“In a short time, a large number of Jews are going to be slaughtered. Their heads are going to [sic] blown off from the shrapnel,” says the caller with a high-pitched voice. “There’s a lot of shrapnel. There’s going to be a bloodbath that’s going to take place in a short time. I think I told you enough. I must go.”
The teen’s identity is being kept confidential because of a gag order in the case. The Jewish institution cited by Haaretz wasn’t identified.
The teen was described by Israeli media as a loner who rarely left his house and was home-schooled. Conflicting news reports put his age at either 18 or 19. Authorities believe he’s also responsible for a threat made against Delta Air Lines at JFK Airport in 2015,
which forced a plane to make an emergency landing.
The suspect tried to grab a cop’s gun when he was arrested early Thursday by Israeli police, Haaretz said.
Police seized five computers and other equipment. They’re probing whether he used a bitcoin account found on one of the computers to receive payment from possible co-conspirators.
His attorney, Galit Bash, told reporters the youth has “severe medical problems.”
“There is concern that his medical condition affects his cognitive functioning,” Bash said.
The teen’s dad was also detained for questioning. They’re both being held in custody.
Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said the investigation by the FBI and Israeli authorities was “complex.”
“As part of the ongoing investigation, we are trying to see if and how he was connected to the different Jewish communities in the US,” Rosenfeld said.
“That directs the investigation as to the American connection. We are looking to see if there was an incident which triggered him to carry out threatening those communities.”
Israeli police said Jewish centers in Australia, New Zealand and Israel were also targeted.