Federal agents on Sunday arrested a U.S.-German dual citizen accused of attempting to fire bomb a U.S. Embassy office in Israel.
The arrest at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City was happening as a funeral was being held near Jerusalem for a staffer at Israel’s embassy in Washington who was killed last week along with his girlfriend.
Joseph Neumeyer, 28, was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City after officials in Israel returned him to the United States. His arrest came days after a gunman killed two Israeli embassy staffers at a Jewish facility in Washington.
Federal prosecutors said Mr. Neumeyer was carrying a dark-colored backpack on May 19 outside a U.S. Embassy office in Tel Aviv. He spat on an embassy guard while walking past and left his backpack during the struggle before fleeing.
A search of the backpack revealed three containers filled with flammable liquids, commonly known as Molotov cocktails. Police tracked Mr. Neumeyer to his hotel, where he was arrested.
“Neumeyer’s social media revealed that earlier in the day on May 19, he posted, ‘Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f–k the west,” the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.
Federal prosecutors also uncovered social media posts reportedly made by Mr. Neumeyer that revealed threats to assassinate President Trump, officials said.
“This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening the death of Americans, and President Trump’s life,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “The Department will not tolerate such violence and will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
Joseph Nocella, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said his office and the Justice Department “will not tolerate violence in our homeland or violence targeting U.S. interests abroad.”
“As alleged, Neumeyer, armed with potentially lethal devices, sought to cause chaos and destruction at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv,” Mr. Nocella said in a statement.
The incident outside the embassy annex in Tel Aviv happened two days before Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were shot to death outside an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington.
The accused gunman was identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago. He was arrested at the scene shortly after the shooting. Police said he shouted “Free Palestine” before he was taken into custody.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is expected to attend a memorial service for Mr. Lischinsky and Ms. Milgrim during her trip to Israel.
Mr. Neumeyer faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, officials said.
