For 3rd time in a month, Jewish centers in US get bomb threats

For the third time this month, US federal authorities are investigating threats to Jewish centers nationwide.

At least 17 Jewish community centers (JCC) across the US received bomb threats on Tuesday, the third time this month that the centers were threatened on the same day.

Locations of the targeted JCCs included Boulder, Colorado.; Albany and Syracuse, New York; West Orange, New Jersey; Milwaukee; San Diego, and Salt Lake City.

The JCC in New Haven, Connecticut, which is currently housed in several locations due to a fire last month, evacuated people from all of its facilities after receiving a live call just before noon. The New Haven JCC was one of more than 30 similarly threatened on January 18.

“We recognize that we live under a new set of circumstances that we have to be responsive to, and take every possible precaution to keep our people safe,” said New Haven JCC CEO Judy Diamondstein. Although routines were “disrupted,” the community will not be intimidated, she said.

According to Diamondstein, the New Haven JCC has been undergoing safety drills to prepare for potential emergencies and had previously scheduled a session with an FBI agent to improve readiness in case of an active shooter.

“The FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country,” FBI spokeswoman Sandra Barker said in a statement.

“The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence, and will ensure this matter is investigated in a fair, thorough, and impartial manner. As this is matter is ongoing, we are not able to comment further at this time,” the statement read.

In addition to the January 18 events, in which 27 Jewish community centers in 17 US states received threats, at least 16 JCCs were similarly targeted on January 9.

In the UK, bomb threats were called in to three Jewish schools in London during the first wave of threats.

No actual danger materialized in any of the incidents.

“Although the threats do not appear to be credible, the League is urging all communal institutions to take these threats extremely seriously. Some community enters have been evacuated out of an abundance of caution,” the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said after the second threat incident.

By: World Israel News Staff

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