An Israeli court convicted a Jewish Israeli man on charges including extortion for making a string of bomb threats targeting U.S. Jewish community centers, airlines and shopping malls — capping a case that had raised fears of a wave of anti-Semitism in the United States.
(Excerpt from the Chicago Tribune)
The Tel Aviv district court did not identify the man because he was a teen when he committed the crimes. But a separate U.S. indictment has identified him as Michael Ron David Kadar, a dual American-Israeli citizen.
Kadar's arrest in March 2017 followed a trans-Atlantic investigation with the FBI and other international law enforcement agencies.
Police said the 19-year-old, from southern Israel, used advanced technologies to mask the origin of his calls and communications to synagogues, community buildings and public venues.
In early 2017, there were dozens of bomb threats against Jewish community centers and day schools across the U.S. and in Canada, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish group that battles anti-Semitism. The threats led to evacuations, sent a chill through local Jewish communities and raised fears of rising anti-Semitism.
The Israeli indictment said that besides the Jewish centers, Kadar also targeted airports, malls, police stations and Republican state Sen. Ernesto Lopez from Delaware. He also offered his intimidation services over the internet in return for compensation in Bitcoin.
In all, Kadar was accused of making over 2,000 threats.
Among the allegations in the Israeli indictment were making a bomb threat against an El-Al flight to Israel that sparked fighter jets to be scrambled, and threatening a Canadian airport, which required passengers to disembark on emergency slides. Six people were injured. He was also accused of threatening a Virgin flight that as a result dumped eight tons of fuel over the ocean before landing, and threatening a plane being used by the NBA's Boston Celtics.
Police had said he used sophisticated "camouflage technologies" to disguise his voice and mask his location. They said a search of his home uncovered antennas and satellite equipment.
The judge wrote that investigators had determined the young man enjoyed making people panic and putting them in fear and stress.
Prosecutor Yoni Hadad said Kadar was convicted on charges including extortion, publishing false information, money laundering and violations of computer laws. "He caused panic and terrorized many people, and disrupted their lives," he said.
The Tel Aviv district court did not identify the man because he was a teen when he committed the crimes. But a separate U.S. indictment has identified him as Michael Ron David Kadar, a dual American-Israeli citizen.
Kadar's arrest in March 2017 followed a trans-Atlantic investigation with the FBI and other international law enforcement agencies.
Police said the 19-year-old, from southern Israel, used advanced technologies to mask the origin of his calls and communications to synagogues, community buildings and public venues.
In early 2017, there were dozens of bomb threats against Jewish community centers and day schools across the U.S. and in Canada, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish group that battles anti-Semitism. The threats led to evacuations, sent a chill through local Jewish communities and raised fears of rising anti-Semitism.
The Israeli indictment said that besides the Jewish centers, Kadar also targeted airports, malls, police stations and Republican state Sen. Ernesto Lopez from Delaware. He also offered his intimidation services over the internet in return for compensation in Bitcoin.
In all, Kadar was accused of making over 2,000 threats.
Among the allegations in the Israeli indictment were making a bomb threat against an El-Al flight to Israel that sparked fighter jets to be scrambled, and threatening a Canadian airport, which required passengers to disembark on emergency slides. Six people were injured. He was also accused of threatening a Virgin flight that as a result dumped eight tons of fuel over the ocean before landing, and threatening a plane being used by the NBA's Boston Celtics.
Police had said he used sophisticated "camouflage technologies" to disguise his voice and mask his location. They said a search of his home uncovered antennas and satellite equipment.
The judge wrote that investigators had determined the young man enjoyed making people panic and putting them in fear and stress.
Prosecutor Yoni Hadad said Kadar was convicted on charges including extortion, publishing false information, money laundering and violations of computer laws. "He caused panic and terrorized many people, and disrupted their lives," he said.
COMMENTARY/RESPONSE in RED by RTR TRUTH MEDIA
In the U.S., Kadar also faces federal hate crimes, bomb threats, hoax and cyberstalking charges that could potentially put him behind bars for decades, according to an (So Israel can spy on us, steal from us, etc. but they are such a great "ally" that they refuse extradition. I wonder if they are afraid to reveal what real motivation or organization was behind this individuals actions or if he was any part of their Hasbara operations?)
The U.S. Senate has passed a measure expanding federal hate-crimes (thought crimes fused with an actual criminal act) laws to include threatening or defacing religious institutions, a victory for the Mercer Island banker who helped draft the measure after a bomb threat against a Mercer Island Jewish community center last year.
The bomb threat, which was called in to the Stroum Jewish Community Center (by an Israeli Jewish man) in February 2017, propelled Mercer Island resident Joseph Schocken — president of Seattle-based Broadmark Capital — to contact Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and help draft legislation to amend federal hate-crimes laws and increase penalties for threats to deface, damage or destroy properties used by religious institutions and affiliated facilities. (While we at RTR agree that property crimes are despicable, no one should have extended rights or protections over any other, and certainly not when said crime that triggered the push comes from someone within their own belief system)
The Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act increases the penalty to five years in prison and a fine for threats that lead to damage. Currently, such crimes are a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum one-year jail sentence.
“At the end of the day, hate crimes are crimes, and it is important that we have stronger laws to protect these institutions,” Schocken said. (Hate crimes is a Marxist concept and thought crime is Un-American)
In the U.S., Kadar also faces federal hate crimes, bomb threats, hoax and cyberstalking charges that could potentially put him behind bars for decades, according to an (So Israel can spy on us, steal from us, etc. but they are such a great "ally" that they refuse extradition. I wonder if they are afraid to reveal what real motivation or organization was behind this individuals actions or if he was any part of their Hasbara operations?)
An Excerpt from:
Mercer Island banker’s push for stiffer hate-crime penalties clears U.S. Senate - (Seattle Times)The U.S. Senate has passed a measure expanding federal hate-crimes (thought crimes fused with an actual criminal act) laws to include threatening or defacing religious institutions, a victory for the Mercer Island banker who helped draft the measure after a bomb threat against a Mercer Island Jewish community center last year.
The bomb threat, which was called in to the Stroum Jewish Community Center (by an Israeli Jewish man) in February 2017, propelled Mercer Island resident Joseph Schocken — president of Seattle-based Broadmark Capital — to contact Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and help draft legislation to amend federal hate-crimes laws and increase penalties for threats to deface, damage or destroy properties used by religious institutions and affiliated facilities. (While we at RTR agree that property crimes are despicable, no one should have extended rights or protections over any other, and certainly not when said crime that triggered the push comes from someone within their own belief system)
The Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act increases the penalty to five years in prison and a fine for threats that lead to damage. Currently, such crimes are a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum one-year jail sentence.
“At the end of the day, hate crimes are crimes, and it is important that we have stronger laws to protect these institutions,” Schocken said. (Hate crimes is a Marxist concept and thought crime is Un-American)
