Suspect Charged in Synagogue Threat

An 18-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with threatening to attack a synagogue last week. The FBI had issued a warning after receiving what it called a broad threat to the state's synagogues. Prosecutors said Thursday that Omar Alkattoul of Sayreville had shared links to a document he'd written, telling one person it was "in the context of an attack on Jews," the New York Times reports. One of the people sent the link reported it to law enforcement officials, a court filing says.

"No one should be targeted for violence or with acts of hate because of how they worship," said Philip Sellinger, US attorney for New Jersey, adding that the threat was prompted by Alkattoul's "hatred of Jews." The suspect, who was arrested Thursday, wrote in the document that he's Muslim, per WABC. He's charged with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate and foreign commerce. Conviction on the charge brings a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. (More synagogue stories.)