U.S. Embassy in Israel targeted by arson attack: American-German citizen arrested for alleged attempt
A 28-year-old dual U.S.-German citizen, Joseph Neumeyer, has been detained in Brooklyn, New York, on allegations of attempting to firebomb the Tel Aviv branch office of the U.S. Embassy.
Federal authorities in New York confirmed Sunday that Neumeyer, a Colorado resident, approached the embassy building on May 19 with a backpack containing Molotov cocktails. A confrontation ensued with a security guard, leading Neumeyer to flee, dropping his backpack as the guard tried to apprehend him. Law enforcement subsequently tracked and arrested him at a nearby hotel.
Israeli officials expelled Neumeyer and transferred him to New York on Saturday. He appeared in Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Sunday, and his criminal complaint was unsealed on the same day. Neumeyer's court-appointed attorney declined to comment.
Court records show that Neumeyer traveled from the United States to Canada in early February and arrived in Israel in late April. Before his alleged attack, he reportedly made several incendiary social media posts.
The attempted assault arises amid the ongoing 20-month Israeli war in Gaza. President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in his first term and the U.S. Embassy's continued operation of a branch office in Tel Aviv may be related factors, though the original text does not specify this connection.
Neumeyer faces charges for attempting to damage U.S. property using fire or explosives, potentially punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He is currently being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Centre, and the U.S. Department of Justice has vowed to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, federal prosecutors accuse Neumeyer of making threats against former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
California officials are closely monitoring the general-news developments in New York, as a California resident, Joseph Neumeyer, faces charges for attempting to damage U.S. property using fire or explosives, which may also involve threats against high-profile individuals such as former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. The incident underscores the intersection of law, politics, and crime-and-justice, not only on a national level but also potentially influencing California's domestic policy agenda.
