The New York City Police said three synagogues were targeted with bomb threats within a two-hour period on Saturday.
According to police, the threats occurred between 3:15 p.m. and 5:13 p.m. on Saturday.
At about 3:15 p.m., the Congregation Rodeph Sholom at 7 West 83rd Street received an email threatening the presence of explosives from an unknown sender. Police said the building was evacuated, and no explosives were discovered inside the place of worship.
The next threat came at about 4:30 p.m., when the Congregation Beit Simchat Torah on West 30th Street received an email from an unknown sender, as well, which also included threats of explosives. Police said nobody was inside the building at the time.
Men arrive to a Orthodox Synagogue in Brooklyn on December 30, 2019 in New York City, two days after an intruder wounded five people at a rabbi’s house in Monsey, New York during a gathering to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. ((Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images))
When the police checked the building, they did not find any explosives inside.
The third threat was reported just after 5:10 p.m., when another email from an unknown sender making threats of explosives, was sent to the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue on Remsen Street. Police told Fox News Digital three people were evacuated out of an abundance of caution, adding no explosives were discovered inside.
All three bomb threats are currently under investigation.
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a post on X that she and other state officials are actively monitoring the number of bomb threats at synagogues.
“Threats have been determined not to be credible, but we will not tolerate individuals sowing fear [and] antisemitism,” the governor said. “Those responsible must be held accountable for their despicable actions.”
Nathan Diament, the executive director of public policy for the orthodox union, told Fox News Digital they were aware of the bomb threats which law enforcement officials were able to determine were false threats.
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During a previously scheduled Zoom meeting with Homeland Security on Sunday, Diament and others spoke to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the threats and were given assurance the threats were false, and they were on top of the issue.
Still, as Diament said, “You can’t stop people from phoning in phony bomb threats.” He continued by adding you have to rely on law enforcement to monitor these types of threats.
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The threats and increased antisemitism across New York City and the rest of the country are “certainly stressful,” Diament said. He also said the Orthodox Jewish community is “not going to let this deter us from going to synagogue,” which they do every single day.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.
