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Friday, March 27, 2026
Mamdani: Man accused of trying to firebomb anti-Israel activist’s home belonged to extremist Jewish Defense League
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLuke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the man accused of trying to firebomb the home of Nerdeen Kiswani, a leading anti-Zionist activist in the city, is a member of the extremist Jewish Defense League.
Mamdani also says the defendant planned to flee to Israel.
Alexander Heifler, 26, of New Jersey, was charged with plotting to firebomb Kiswani’s residence earlier today.
“Last night, an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League —- designated by the FBI as a ‘known violent extremist organization’ —- attempted to blow up the home of Nerdeen Kiswani in a chilling act of political violence and an apparent assassination plot. The defendant allegedly planned to flee to Israel following the attack,” Mamdani says.
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