FBI Arrests Seminole Man for Threatening Mosque

The FBI arrested a Seminole man Tuesday for allegedly threatening to firebomb a mosque in Pinellas Park in the wake of Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

Martin Alan Schnitzler, 43, has been charged with making a telephone threat to the Islamic Center of Pinellas County “to kill, injure, or intimidate using fire or an explosive,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

On Friday evening, Schnitzler allegedly left a voicemail message at the phone number for the Islamic center, according to court documents. He said he was calling in reference to the attacks Friday in Paris that killed 129 people, the deadliest terrorist attacks on Western soil since Sept. 11, 2001, according to media reports.

Schnitzler said, among other things, that he was going to go to the Pinellas Park mosque and “firebomb you and shoot whoever is there,” according to court documents. Agents with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Schnitzler.

A similar phone call was made Friday to the Islamic Society of St. Petersburg, according to media reports. The caller allegedly threatened to “firebomb” the mosque and shoot people.

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, which took place at several sites, including a soccer stadium, a theater and restaurants.

Muslims in France have condemned the attacks, which have also drawn condemnation from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, among other Muslim organizations.