Would-Be Capitol Bomber Eyed Synagogue
A Moroccan man who allegedly wanted to conduct a suicide bombing attack on the U.S. Capitol had considered attacking a synagogue, according to authorities.
Amine El Khalifi was arrested Froday as soon as he accepted a phony suicide vest and a disabled gun from federal agents, according to news reports.
An FBI spokesman would only confirm the arrest. El Khalifi planned to head for the Capitol, but in earlier conversations with undercover operatives, he said he had also considered a federal building in Alexandria, Va., a restaurant and a synagogue.
Officials close to law enforcement told JTA that Khalifi’s plans were never close to being realized, and that there is no imminent danger to any Jewish target.
Why I became the Forward’s editor-in-chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
— Alyssa Katz, editor-in-chief
