Man charged with hate crimes for threats against New York synagogue

A suspect is arraigned in a New York court for allegedly threatening a New York synagogue last month.

Luis Ramirez, 23, was arrested in New Jersey, on his way into New York City, after allegedly threatening violence against Central Synagogue in Manhattan.

Ramirez is charged with one count of making a terroristic threat as a hate crime, and another count of making a terroristic threat, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office tells The Times of Israel.

The top charge carries a mandatory prison term of three-and-a-half years.

Ramirez was discharged from a military training school in January for psychological reasons. While jailed in New Jersey, he was diagnosed as schizophrenic, the DA’s office says.

Ahead of his arrest, Ramirez posted on social media threatening statements, including, “THE JEWS KILLED ME IN MY PAST LIFE IF YOU TRY TO KILL ME AGAIN TODAY IN NYC WHEN I PULL UP TO SHABBAT I WILL KILL YOU FIRST.”

“I WILL BE VISITING MY BROTHERS AND SISTER IN NYC TOMORROW PULL UP TO SHABBAT AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE 6 PM,” he said.

Ramirez also said that “in a past life” he was Adolf Hitler and swore allegiance to Allah.

“Luis Ramirez allegedly made extremely disturbing and serious threats against Central Synagogue, and we have absolutely no tolerance for this conduct,” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg says in a statement. “He is now charged with significant terrorism and hate crimes charges and was remanded into custody. Any form of antisemitism is despicable, and I want Manhattan’s Jewish community to know we are remaining extremely vigilant.”

Ramirez’s threatening posts were first identified by the Community Security Initiative, a Jewish security group, which relayed the threats to law enforcement, leading to the arrest.