FBI warns of credible threat to synagogues in New Jersey
- The agency urged synagogues to ‘take all security precautions to protect your community and facility’
- The alert was posted after officials discovered an online threat aimed broadly at synagogues in the state
The FBI said on Thursday it had received credible information about a “broad” threat to synagogues in New Jersey.
The FBI’s Newark office released a statement urging synagogues to “take all security precautions to protect your community and facility”.
The alert was posted after officials discovered an online threat directed broadly at synagogues in New Jersey, a law enforcement official said. The posting, though, did not target any specific synagogue by name, the official said. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
More specific details were not released, and a message was left with the FBI in Newark.
In Jersey City, Mayor Steven Fulop said police would be posted at the city’s seven synagogues and foot patrols would be added in the broader Jewish community. In 2019, two assailants motivated by anti-Jewish hate killed three people in a kosher market in Jersey City, along with a police officer.
Police officers armed with rifles guarded a synagogue one city over, in Hoboken, where the public safety director also announced increased patrols in Jewish communities.