caught!

Toledo terror: Arrest short-circuts plan to murder Jews

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A 21-year-old man who allegedly told an undercover FBI agent he wanted to kill Jews — including a rabbi — was arrested last week for planning to attack a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio, area.

The suspect, Damon Joseph of Holland, Ohio, said he was inspired by the gunman who shot up the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11, according to the Department of Justice.

“I admire what the guy did with the shooting actually,” Joseph told the agent. “I can see myself carrying out this type of operation.”

He told the agent that he wanted to kill a rabbi, the Toledo Blade reported, citing an FBI affidavit. He also said, according to the FBI, that “Jewish people were evil and deserved what was coming to them.”

Joseph was “inspired by ISIS’s call to violence and hate,” said Assistant Attorney General John Demers. “He planned to attack the victims, based on their religion … in the name of ISIS, and hoped that it would lead to the deaths of many and spread fear.

“His alleged actions would be an assault on the liberties and respect for humanity we hold so dear. We will continue to make every effort to prevent such attacks from occurring.”

U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said that “this man spent months planning a violent terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS here in the United States, and eventually targeted a Jewish synagogue in the Toledo area. The charges describe a calculated man fueled by an ideology of hatred and intent on killing innocent people.

“The FBI, our police and Justice Department employees are to be credited for working to stop the defendant before he could act.”

According to Jeff Fortunato, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Division, Joseph ultimately decided “to target two Toledo-area synagogues for a mass-casualty attack in the name of ISIS” and “will now be accountable in a court of law for his pursuit of a violent act of terrorism upon our fellow citizens attending their desired house of worship.”

He sent a plan for his attack to the agent earlier this month with a request for weapons and ammunition, officials said, and was arrested after he took possession of the weapons, two AR-15 rifles, from the agent on Friday.

The FBI said that law enforcement became aware of Joseph earlier this year though his activities on social media where pledged his allegiance to ISIS and made videos to encourage others to join the jihadist group. He expressed hatred for Americans – singling out gays, Christians, Catholics and Jews, according to the FBI.

Joseph was charged on Monday in U.S. District Court in Toledo with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

The Secure Community Network, a national Jewish community initiative, praised the FBI “for their ongoing and thorough work on behalf of the safety and security of the Jewish community,” noting that Joseph had been under surveillance for nearly a year before his arrest.

Michael Masters, SCN’s national director, called Joseph’s plans “highly calculated and inspired by hatred.”

“We cannot tolerate hate directed toward people of Jewish faith, or of any other religion, and last month’s mass-killing at a Pittsburgh synagogue is a reminder of just how real this threat is,” Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said on Monday. “As Chanukah concludes this evening, all Toledoans should reflect on the holiday’s themes of liberation, identity, and most importantly, freedom from religious persecution.”