Colorado neo-Nazi sentenced to nearly 20 years for synagogue bombing plot
By David Ian Klein March 1, 2021
28-year-old Richard Holzer will be spending the next two decades of his life in prison after he pleaded guilty to plotting to blow up a Colorado synagogue, the Department of Justice announced on Saturday.
“Holzer pleaded guilty to intentionally attempting to obstruct persons in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs, through force and the attempted use of explosives and fire,” the DOJ said in a statement.
The 2019 plot by Holzer, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi, has been deemed a hate crime by the FBI.
“The planned bombing, which Holzer declared was ‘a move for our race,’ was born from years of Holzer consuming and promoting white supremacist ideology.” the DOJ said.
Holzer’s target was Pueblo, Colorado’s Temple Emanuel, the state’s oldest synagogue, founded in 1900.
The FBI learned about his plan through his prolific online postings glorifying white supremacy and racial violence. According to the DOJ, they initiated an undercover operation.
“On the evening of Nov. 1, 2019, Holzer met with undercover agents, who provided Holzer with inert explosive devices that had been fabricated by the FBI, including two pipe bombs and 14 sticks of dynamite. Holzer removed a copy of ‘Mein Kampf’ from his bag and told the undercover agents that the explosives looked ‘absolutely gorgeous,’” the DOJ said.
According to the FBI, before planning the attack, he had frequently visited the synagogue to observe its congregants.
“Protecting our communities from terrorism, both domestic and international, is a top priority for the FBI. Mr. Holzer targeted a place of worship for violence and destruction to drive people of the Jewish faith from our community,” FBI agent Michael Schneider said after the sentencing.
On their website, Temple Emanuel published a statement thanking the FBI for their efforts in halting Holzer’s plot.
“Working together to prevent an alleged act of domestic terrorism, our first-responders and the good people of Pueblo triumphed.” the synagogue wrote. “We are safer and more united because of their efforts.”
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
