Joseph Neumayer, 28, a dual citizen of the United States and Germany, was arrested by FBI special agents at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Sunday for allegedly attempting to firebomb the US Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv, Israel, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Neumayer has also been accused of making threats against President Donald Trump.
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He landed in Israel in April and was spotted outside the US Embassy with a dark-colored rucksack. According to the DOJ, he spat on an embassy guard as he walked by.
That guard attempted to detain him, but he escaped, leaving his backpack behind. Authorities checked his backpack and discovered three Molotov bombs, according to the Department of Justice.
Israeli authorities tracked down Neumeyer and arrested him at his hotel. They also discovered evidence on Neumeyer’s social media accounts in which he considered burning down the embassy.
The DOJ also discovered threats to murder President Trump on Neumeyer’s social media account.
Today, Israeli officials extradited Neumayer back to the United States, where he was apprehended by the FBI.
“The department will not tolerate such violence, and we will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law,” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated.
The FBI Washington Field Office is cooperating with the FBI New York Field Office on the investigation.
“This despicable and violent behavior will not be tolerated at home or abroad, and the FBI, working with our partners, will bring him to face justice for his dangerous actions,” added FBI Director Kash Patel.
If convicted, Neumeyer may face a minimum of five years in jail and a maximum of twenty years.
