ALBANY, NY – Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, has pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and firearm charges stemming from a brazen and terrifying threat against Temple Israel synagogue in Albany on December 7, 2023. Alkhader discharged a shotgun into the air while shouting “Free Palestine!” as congregants prepared to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, sending the daycare inside into immediate lockdown.
According to court documents, Alkhader arrived at the synagogue via Uber, brandishing a shotgun he’d illegally obtained. He fired two rounds into the air before attempting to remove an Israeli flag from the synagogue’s flagpole. Albany Police Department officers apprehended him shortly after, averting what could have been a far more horrific tragedy. The incident left the Temple Israel community shaken and fearful of returning to their place of worship.
“The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence,” declared U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. Alkhader now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the ATF, FBI, Albany Police Department, and New York State Police, revealed Alkhader’s deliberate and premeditated plan to acquire a firearm and use it to intimidate and terrorize the Jewish community. “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear,” stated Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the ATF’s New York Field Division. “By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli emphasized the swift response of law enforcement and the Temple Israel community in bringing Alkhader to justice. “Thanks to the swift actions…justice has been served,” he said. The charges against Alkhader include one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and one count of conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully.
The incident is a stark reminder of the rising tide of antisemitism and the continued threat of gun violence. Federal authorities are vowing to aggressively prosecute those who attempt to use intimidation and force to disrupt religious freedom. While Alkhader’s plea brings a measure of closure to the Temple Israel community, the emotional scars of the attack will undoubtedly linger. Sentencing is pending.
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