Jewish community react to police catching bomb threat suspect

The wave of threats against Jewish centers that started back in January may have come to an end.

Police say a teenage man phoned bomb threats to Jewish Community Centers across America and other countries, even forcing a Delta flight to make an emergency landing at JFK.

A multi-international law enforcement investigation, including the FBI, lead to his arrest.

Israeli police said the calls came from the Jewish homeland. The man's name hasn't been released, but officials say he is a dual Israeli-American passport holder.

Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of Simon Wiesenthal Center, says the suspect is Jewish.

"To find out that this was done by a person in Israel is startling, absolutely shocking. Why would anyone do that? It would have to be an act of insanity," said Hier.

According to the New York Times, the man's lawyers say he has a brain tumor that can affect his actions.
For months, Heir says many thought the threats came from the alt-right, attributed to the president not speaking against anti-semitism enough.

He says even though there is a sense of relief that the suspect is caught, there is a new fear.

"There's the concern of copycats. This sets a new stage on what's possible. Today, we pay the price for the advances in science and technology," said Hier.

Police also arrested the man's father, believing he could have been aware of the threats, possibly even involved. His lawyer says he had no knowledge of the attacks.

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