‘Such hatred’: NYC Jewish center on high alert after FBI foils terror plot

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Horrified.

That is how so many Jews across New York City say they’re feeling after learning about an alleged terror plot against a Jewish center in Brooklyn.

That mass shooting was supposed to take place around the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack against Israel.

“We are not going to allow terrorists to deter us from standing together with one another,” Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, told PIX11 News.

Few members of the Lubavitch community in Crown Heights had heard about the foiled terror plot against a Brooklyn Jewish center when it was announced by the Department of Justice late Friday on the eve of the Sabbath because Orthodox Jews do not use phones or the internet on the Sabbath.

A Pakistani man, 20-year-old Mohamed Shahzeb Kahn, was arrested 12 miles north of the US-Canada border as he was heading to carry out a mass shooting.

According to the 19-page indictment, Kahn was targeting a Brooklyn Jewish Center. The feds did not specify the target’s exact location, but many believed it to be the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters on Eastern Parkway.

“During our investigation, Kahn used encrypted messages in planning his attack on a Jewish center in New York planned for the anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel,” Rob Kissane, JTTF FBI Agent in charge, said on X.

Kahn began sharing ISIS propaganda on social media, eventually messaging two undercover law enforcement officers.

In his message, according to the complaint, Kahn bragged that “New York is perfect to choose because it has the largest Jewish population in America. If we succeeded with our plan, this should be the largest attack on US soil since 9/11.”

Kahn urged the undercover officers to arm themselves with AR-15-style rifles, ammunition, and other weapons.

“ I couldn’t believe that someone 20 years old is consumed with such hatred,” Rabbi Potasnik told PIX11 News. “I can’t understand, after the horror of October 7, how we can go through this,” he added.

With a beefed-up police presence at synagogues and Jewish centers across the city in the next month, Rabbi  Potasnik said Jewish New Yorkers will continue to do what they always do.

“This is not the first time we have to face security threats, but thankfully, New York City has the greatest police dept. We meet with them and you will find synagogues will be filled to capacity,” the rabbi said.

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