The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday charged a man with making multiple threatening calls to Jewish Community Centers in Florida.
“Today’s charges into these violent threats to Jewish Community Centers and others represent this Department’s commitment to fighting all forms of violent crime,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.
“These threats of violence instilled terror in Jewish and other communities across this country and our investigation into these acts as possible hate crimes continues.”
{mosads}The DOJ said Michael Ron David Kadar, 18, is accused of making a series of bomb and firearm threats to Florida Jewish Community Centers between January and March.
The agency noted many of the calls resulted in temporary closure or evacuation of facilities despite no actual explosives being found.
Kadar was also charged with conveying false information to police regarding harm to private residents in Georgia and cyberstalking. The DOJ said Kadar made a call to police in Macon, Ga., last January in which he detailed false information about a nonexistent emergency situation there.
Reports emerged last month that Israeli police had arrested Kadar, who is Israeli and Jewish, as the primary suspect in connection with several bomb threats throughout 2017 nationwide.
Kadar also allegedly made similar threats in Australia and New Zealand, using technology to hide where the calls originated from.
The frequency and reach of the threats attracted national attention, with all 100 senators signing a letter in March demanding action in response to the calls.