|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
U.S. federal authorities have charged a Chicago man after he threatened to carry out a mass shooting at a synagogue and posted violent antisemitic messages online.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, 31-year-old Timothy Holmes issued the threat on social media. He posted it in response to Israel’s announcement that it had killed Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an airstrike on Feb. 28. Prosecutors saud Holmes wrote he planned to “shoot up a synagogue.”
Investigators said Holmes published multiple posts calling for violence against Jews. These included statements such as “the jew will be destroyed and discarded,” “From the river to the sea every Jew will die,” and “Die jew.” Authorities noted these messages formed the basis for the interstate threat charge.
Holmes traveled to Florida after posting another alarming message. In it, he referenced relatives of an Israeli official believed to live there. He wrote: “What’s their address? Flying to Florida this week. Just out of curiosity.” Authorities viewed the message as a potential attempt to identify and target individuals.
Despite prosecutors’ objections, a court released Holmes on bond. However, he cannot possess firearms, and he cannot use social media.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros condemned the conduct. “Antisemitism has no place in our society,” he said. He added that his office is “using all available legal tools to combat criminal conduct that rears its head in hateful antisemitism.”
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
