I will continue to defend the Palestinian people: foiled attack plot against American pro

Nerdeen Kiswani, a New York figure in defense of Palestinians, announced on Friday that the FBI had thwarted an assassination plot against her, while authorities claim to have arrested a man in possession of incendiary devices.

“Late last night, the FBI Counterterrorism Task Force informed me that a plot to take my life was about to happen,” said Nerdeen Kiswani. She added that a police operation was conducted in this matter in Hoboken, New Jersey (east).

The federal prosecutor’s office in this state announced the arrest of a man, identified as Alexander Heifler, 26, for “illegal possession and manufacturing of destructive devices,” specifically Molotov cocktails.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the young man planned to “use these homemade incendiary devices against another person’s home.” According to the New York Times, eight Molotov cocktails were found in the suspect’s possession, which he intended to use against the activist’s home.

Context:

Nerdeen Kiswani is a prominent activist known for her work in organizing pro-Palestinian protests in New York.

Fact Check:

– The FBI thwarted an assassination plot against Nerdeen Kiswani. – Alexander Heifler was arrested for possessing and making Molotov cocktails.

A climate of “violence”

As the leader of the group Within Our Lifetime, involved in organizing pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New York, especially during the Gaza war, Nerdeen Kiswani is regularly targeted online by pro-Israeli groups.

Last month, she filed a lawsuit against the American branch of Betar, an international right-wing Jewish movement, for allegedly encouraging people on social media to harass or harm her.

“For months, Zionist organizations like Betar and politicians like Randy Fine have been encouraging violence against my family and me (…) I will continue to defend the Palestinian people,” she wrote.

[Watch the video: An Israeli army bombing kills 32 in Gaza]

“If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not difficult,” wrote Randy Fine, a Republican elected official from Florida, in response to a post by Nerdeen Kiswani calling dogs “impure” – a message she later explained to be ironic.

“The alarming case highlights the growing climate of harassment, threats, and violence against those who speak out on Palestinian rights and other social justice issues,” reacted the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights organization for Muslims.