US-German citizen charged for allegedly trying to firebomb US embassy in Tel Aviv
“Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f–ck the west,” read a Facebook post allegedly written by the suspect
A dual U.S. and German citizen has been charged for allegedly attempting to attack the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv with molotov cocktails, according to the Department of Justice.
The suspect, Joseph Neumeyer, 28, of Colorado, allegedly travelled to Israel and then approached the embassy office on 19 May. He spat and cursed at a guard, who then tried to detain him. But Neumeyer got away, leaving behind a backpack that contained three molotov cocktails, according to an arrest affidavit filed by an FBI agent.
An investigation into what appears to be Neumeyer’s Facebook page revealed that he had allegedly written multiple posts threatening to kill President Donald Trump. The morning of the attack on the embassy office in Israel, he also made two posts threatening to burn down the building.
“Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f–ck the west,” read one post included in the affidavit.
The building Neumeyer attempted to attack served as the U.S. embassy in Israel until 2018, when Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem. The Tel Aviv building now serves as a branch office of the embassy.
Neumeyer was later found and arrested by Israeli police. He was extradited to the United States on 25 May, where he made an initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo and was ordered detained. He is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York City.
“This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump’s life,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “The Department will not tolerate such violence and will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ynet News also reported that Neumeyer’s profile had shared an image of a swastika and had written the phrase “Long live the Fourth Reich. Death to America” in a post about Israel’s participation in Eurovision.
The incident at the embassy office in Tel Aviv came two days before two staffers for the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. were shot and killed outside of a Jewish museum by an assailant who allegedly yelled “Free Palestine” following the shooting.
Neumeyer was charged with attempting to destroy, by means of fire or explosive, the embassy office and faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison as well as a maximum fine of £196,000.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
