Photo Courtesy of Phil Murphy On Jan. 31, Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Consul General of Israel in New York Asaf Zamir meet with members of Temple Ner Tamid.
On Jan. 31, Gov. Phil Murphy, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Consul General of Israel in New York Asaf Zamir meet with members of Temple Ner Tamid.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A Passaic County man was arrested Feb. 1 for attempting to firebomb Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Nicholas Malindretos, 26, of Clifton, is charged by complaint with one count of attempted use of fire to damage and destroy a building used in interstate commerce. If convicted, Malindretos faces a minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 29, Bloomfield police officers responded to Temple Ner Tamid on a report of property damage. Upon the officers’ arrival, it was quickly determined that a Molotov cocktail had been thrown at the temple’s front door.
Video surveillance from the temple showed one male suspect approach the front door at 3:19 a.m. with a Molotov cocktail. He then lit it and threw it at the front door. The glass bottle broke and the fire went out on impact, causing no visible damage to the temple. The suspect then fled down the driveway.
Bloomfield detectives, along with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were notified of the incident. A joint investigation remains active.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, a license plate reading device located nearby recorded a vehicle passing by the scene shortly before and shortly after the incident. Law enforcement officers located the vehicle in Clifton and saw several items consistent with the video of the incident plainly visible inside. They obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. Video cameras in the area where the vehicle was parked captured the vehicle parking and a male individual with the same physical characteristics as Malindretos exiting the vehicle and entering a nearby building.
“No one should find that their lives are at risk by exercising their faith,” Sellinger said.
“The defendant is alleged to have gone to a synagogue in the middle of the night and maliciously attempted to damage and destroy it using a firebomb. Protecting communities of faith and houses of worship is core to this office’s mission. In response to this attempted attack, my office — together with our federal, state, and local partners — worked around the clock to investigate this matter swiftly. We will continue to devote whatever resources are necessary to keep our Jewish community and all New Jersey residents safe.”
“I commend and thank the entire New Jersey law enforcement community for their seamless collaboration and tireless efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect in Sunday’s attack on Temple Ner Tamid,” N.J. Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. “In New Jersey, we stand united against hate and bias, and we speak with one voice to show that our state will remain a place where all can live and worship freely and safely.”
“Newark FBI and our law enforcement partners have been working around the clock since Sunday morning, after being notified someone targeted the Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield,” FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “We allege Mr. Malindretos threw a Molotov cocktail at the doors of the synagogue. The speed and intensity of this investigation demonstrates our determination and dedication to protecting houses of worship and protecting their congregations. We take seriously all threats of hate and bias aimed at all religions and faiths, and we intend to hold accountable all those who target them.”
“An alleged attempted firebombing on a house of worship is an attack against the entire community,” acting ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said. “We are honored to work side by side with our local, state and federal partners to bring today’s charge.”
“The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has long understood that our interfaith community is one of the prime targets for hate,” acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II said. “Although we are always troubled by events such as this, we are pleased by the extraordinary efforts undertaken by all involved in Essex County law enforcement to bring this charge.”
Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia said that, while he was pleased to learn of the arrest, the work is not done to prevent similar crimes from happening again.
“It came with great relief to learn that the individual responsible for committing this heinous hate crime has been brought to justice; nevertheless, we will continue to work diligently with the community through this difficult time. I want to assure our residents that we stand united in our opposition to all forms of hate and discrimination in Bloomfield, and are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation,” Venezia said.
“On behalf of the township, I would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office; and especially the Bloomfield Police Department for their tireless efforts and collaboration in arresting the individual responsible. We are grateful and proud to have such dedicated and professional law enforcement agencies working to keep Bloomfield a safe community to live and work.”
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.
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