Threat to NJ synagogues 'mitigated' as FBI finds person responsible, Jewish security group says - WABC-TV

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NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- Law enforcement officials person "located the idiosyncratic believed to beryllium responsible" for what triggered an FBI tweet that warned of a "broad threat" to the Jewish assemblage successful New Jersey, according to the Secure Community Network, the umbrella enactment for information operations for synagogues and yeshivas successful the United States.

Secure Community Network said instrumentality enforcement had "mitigated" the menace and "there is nary longer an progressive information concern."

A connection from the FBI's Newark Field bureau was released Friday morning.

"Upon receipt of menace accusation against an unspecified New Jersey country synagogue, the FBI notified assemblage leaders and our instrumentality enforcement partners," the connection read. "We identified the root of the menace who nary longer poses a information to the community. As always, we would similar to punctual the public, to stay vigilant and if they observe suspicious enactment to study it to instrumentality enforcement immediately."

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy thanked the FBI and authorities instrumentality enforcement for their speedy investigative work. The politician besides said the authorities volition stay vigilant and marque definite threats against immoderate location of worship are thoroughly investigated.

"This menace violated 1 of the astir cardinal tenets of our federation - the close to worship according to the dictates of our consciences and our ineffable and beatified traditions," Murphy said. "We volition ever endeavor to guarantee that each New Jerseyan of each religion whitethorn proceed to live, study, and worship without fearfulness for their safety."

Featured video is from erstwhile coverage

The FBI's Newark Field bureau said Thursday it has received "credible accusation of a wide menace to synagogues successful New Jersey."

A tweet from the bureau said, "We inquire astatine this clip that you instrumentality each information precautions to support your assemblage and facility. We volition stock much accusation arsenic soon arsenic we can. Stay alert. In lawsuit of exigency telephone police."

The quality of the menace was not instantly clear, but instrumentality enforcement sources told ABC News it was not a weaponry threat.

The menace that prompted the tweet from FBI-Newark originated online, instrumentality enforcement sources told ABC News. Though the accusation was deemed credible, the menace was not circumstantial to immoderate 1 synagogue.

The determination to contented the tweet amazed partners who are besides portion of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, sources said.

Similar tweets person not been issued by different instrumentality enforcement agencies successful the Greater New York area.

The NYPD said it is alert of the FBI alert.

"In an abundance of caution, the NYPD's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureaus are moving diligently alongside the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI to guarantee the information and well-being of successful each country that encompasses our Jewish citizens and synagogues present successful New York City and the tri-state area."

WATCH | ABC News' Aaron Katersky speaks connected the threats:

Out of an abundance of caution, New Jersey synagogues were told to beryllium alert. It's imaginable the nationalist whitethorn spot added constabulary patrols extracurricular synagogues arsenic portion of the aforesaid caution but much drastic steps, specified arsenic lockdowns, are not occurring.

"Law enforcement volition beryllium expanding patrols successful delicate areas. Some of these patrols volition beryllium successful marked vehicles and others volition not - but delight bash not beryllium alarmed if you observe an summation successful constabulary beingness arsenic we are taking these steps successful an abundance of caution," said Attorney General Matthew Platkin. "We besides telephone upon New Jersey residents to beryllium other vigilant and if you spot suspicious enactment delight study it to your section authorities without delay. We proceed to enactment unneurotic to support New Jersey safe, and fto those who would bring harm to the residents of this State cognize that New Jersey volition not beryllium location to hate, intolerance oregon violence.

Law enforcement officials person been acrophobic astir anti-Semitic rhetoric online by figures similar Kanye West and Kyrie Irving, which has been seized upon by much extremist elements to telephone for unit against Jews.

While the FBI investigates it further, officials thought it champion to marque the nationalist alert truthful they tin instrumentality due measures.

Gov. Phil Murphy said helium is intimately monitoring the concern and moving with section instrumentality enforcement to guarantee that each houses of worship are protected.

Hoboken Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla said his medication has been successful interaction with section instrumentality enforcement and Hoboken constabulary person accrued constabulary beingness astatine some United Synagogue of Hoboken and Chabad of Hoboken.

Essex County is besides expanding its constabulary beingness astatine synagogues.

"Due to the alert issued by the FBI, the Essex County Sheriff's Office is expanding our beingness astatine synagogues wrong Essex County," Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura said. "We volition proceed to collaborate with our municipal, state, and national instrumentality enforcement partners to guarantee the information of the public."

The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey's Director of Community Security said they are alert of the alert and are successful connection with section authorities. They warned: If you spot something, accidental something.

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