Shooter who fired blasts outside Temple Israel during Hanukkah in 2023, shouting anti-Israel slogans in hate-fueled assault, recieves his sentence.
A New York man has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for firing a shotgun outside an Albany synagogue during Hanukkah while shouting “Free Palestine.”
Federal prosecutors said 29-year-old Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, from Schenectady, carried out the December 7, 2023, attack at Temple Israel, one of the first violent antisemitic incidents in the U.S. following Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.
According to the Justice Department, Alkhader arrived at the synagogue by Uber in the afternoon, fired two shots into the air at the building’s entrance, and tried to fire again before his weapon jammed. He then attempted to rip down an Israeli flag before police arrested him.
Alkhader was convicted on multiple charges, including conspiring to illegally obtain a firearm, obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs with a dangerous weapon, and brandishing a firearm in a crime of violence.
“Mr. Alkhader’s violent actions were fueled by hatred for individuals simply because of their faith,” said FBI Albany Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli. “We hope this sentence aids the community’s healing and makes clear that hate-fueled violence will not be tolerated.”
The shotgun used in the attack was purchased for Alkhader by Andrew Miller, who lied to a gun dealer to obtain it. Miller was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
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