Suspect Apprehended After Threats To NJ Synagogues: Police

NEW JERSEY — The suspect who made threats against New Jersey synagogues has been apprehended, officials said.

The FBI warned Thursday of "credible information of a broad threat to synagogues" in New Jersey. But law enforcement identified and apprehended the individual who made the threats as of Friday morning.

"He is described as a lone actor who is an extremist," the Borough of Interlaken Police Department relayed from a call between federal, state and local law enforcement. "No further information is going to be provided at this time."

Officials haven't publicly identified the suspect or announced charges as of 3 p.m. Friday. But the FBI's Newark branch, which originally announced the threat, stated the following:

"Upon receipt of threat information against an unspecified New Jersey area synagogue, the FBI notified community leaders and our law enforcement partners. We identified the source of the threat who no longer poses a danger to the community. As always, we would like to remind the public, to remain vigilant and if they observe suspicious activity to report it to law enforcement immediately."

• From Thursday: NJ Synagogues Under Threat, FBI Says In Warning

Gov. Phil Murphy expressed gratitude toward law enforcement "for their tireless efforts in mitigating the immediate threat to our Jewish synagogues."

"While this specific threat may be mitigated, we know this remains a tense time for our Jewish communities who are facing a wave of anti-Semitic (sic) activity," Murphy said in a statement. "We will not be indifferent. We will remain vigilant."

Law enforcement planned to increase patrols in "sensitive areas," New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said Thursday. Some patrols will include marked vehicles, while others wouldn't.

"Please do not be alarmed if you observe an increase in police presence as we are taking these steps in an abundance of caution," Platkin said. "We also call upon New Jersey residents to be extra vigilant and if you see suspicious activity please report it to your local authorities without delay."

The alleged threat came amid growing concerns of antisemitism rising throughout New Jersey and the nation. State officials reported 298 anti-Jewish bias incidents in 2020 and 347 last year. Bias incidents against any demographic tend to be undercounted though, as they hinge on the population's willingness to report matters to law enforcement and any barriers they may face in reporting.

The House Committee on Homeland Security convened in Teaneck last month to discuss violent extremism and antisemitic threats in New Jersey. The Anti-Defamation League reported 2,717 antisemitic incidents around the nation last year — a record since the organization began tracking such figures in 1979. The ADL reported 370 antisemitic incidents in New Jersey last year.

"As Yom Kippur begins tomorrow, I urge you to remember the way that these threats tear at the fabric of our communities, our democracy and our country," Scott Richman, the ADL's regional director for New Jersey and New York, said at the hearing.

New Jersey was home to one of the nation's deadliest antisemitic attacks in recent years, when two assailants targeted a Jewish grocery store in Jersey City. Five people were killed at the store, including both gunmen, during the Dec. 10, 2019, attack. The assailants also killed Det. Joseph Seals, a Jersey City police officer, at a nearby cemetery.

Jewish communities also recently acknowledged the four-year anniversary of the Tree of Life mass shooting, which killed 11 people on Oct. 27, 2018. The shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue is believed to be the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in U.S. history.