Man Charged for Attempted Attack on Florida Synagogue

By Reuters May 2, 2016

A South Florida man appeared before a federal judge in Miami on Monday to face charges for attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction at a synagogue in Aventura, Florida, according to court documents.

James Medina, 40, of Hollywood, Florida was arrested on Friday as a result of an undercover operation after he tried to use an explosive that law enforcement had made inoperable.

James Medina Image by Broward County Sheriff’s Office

The Federal Bureau of Investigation began watching Medina after he began expressing anti-Semitic views and a wish to attack a synagogue in conversation. They launched an investigation in late March.

Undercover agents learned that Medina wanted to leave some kind of “clue” at the scene of the attack so that it would be falsely attributed to the Islamic State militant group, according to the court complaint.

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz identified the targeted synagogue in a statement, saying she was grateful that the suspect was arrested “before he was allegedly able to do harm to the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center and its congregants, so many of whom are my constituents, who were observing the end of Passover.”

A spokeswoman from the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of Florida said there was a “national security related” arrest on Friday but there was no current threat to the public safety.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $325,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO