2 men charged, 1 with Nazi arm-band, in connection with threats to attack New York synagogue

By John Miller, Brynn Gingras, Samantha Beech and Alaa Elassar, CNN

Two men arrested in connection with online threats to attack a New York City synagogue were arraigned on multiple charges over the weekend, court documents show.

Christopher Brown, 21, from Aquebogue, New York, was charged with making a terroristic threat, criminal possession of a weapon and other weapons charges, according to court documents.

Matthew Mahrer, 22, of Manhattan, was arraigned late Saturday and is facing charges including criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm, the documents show.

Brown was denied bail, and Mahrer’s bail was set at $150,000 cash or $300,000 bond, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told CNN.

Attorneys for both Brown and Mahrer have not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment.

“As alleged, the two defendants possessed a firearm, a high capacity magazine, ammunition, an 8″ long military style knife, a swastika arm patch, a ski mask and a bullet proof vest, among other things,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement to CNN.

“A potential tragedy was averted when they were intercepted by police officers at Penn Station, given that online postings indicated an intent to use these weapons at a Manhattan synagogue,” Bragg said.

New York Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced the arrests of the two men in a statement Saturday. Investigators from the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force and the NYPD Counterterrorism and Intelligence Bureau, in collaboration with law enforcement partners, uncovered what she called “a developing threat to the Jewish community” on Friday.

Authorities “moved swiftly to gather information, identify those behind it, and operationally neutralize their ability to do harm,” Sewell said.

Officers from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) arrested Brown and Mahrer as they were entering Penn Station in Manhattan early Saturday, according to Sewell. The officers also seized “a large hunting knife, an illegal Glock 17 firearm and 30-round magazine, and several other items,” the commissioner said.

After apprehending them, the two men “were turned over to the NYPD and FBI,” the MTA said in a statement.

“The tremendous police work here reflects the MTA PD’s core purpose — protecting millions of daily commuters, in collaboration with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners,” the MTA said.

Law enforcement sources told CNN the threats began appearing on a Twitter account on November 12 and were traced late Friday to a computer at a veterinary clinic where one of the suspects worked.

The threats allegedly included references to attacking a synagogue. “Gonna ask a priest if I should become a husband or shoot up a synagogue and die,” one post allegedly read.

Sources said one of the messages contained a reference to “big moves being made on Friday.” The message cited a time of 11:30 p.m., but gave no specific target.

After being alerted to the online messages, FBI agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force and detectives from the NYPD’s intelligence bureau began what was a source described as “frantic efforts” to identify and locate the suspects.

CNN has reached out to the NYPD and FBI for official comment.

Law enforcement sources told CNN by late Friday, authorities had zeroed in on two individuals. It is not clear if either of those arrested have legal representation.

Sources said authorities issued a so-called “Be on the Lookout” — or “bolo” — alert to the phones of thousands of police officers in New York City with a picture and a description of one of those being sought. MTA police were notified the individuals may be traveling back-and-forth from Long Island to New York City or Pennsylvania, according to the sources.

Investigators were able to identify an address on 94th Street on Manhattan’s west side associated with a suspect’s friend, the sources said. When police and the FBI arrived there, they learned the two suspects had been there and dropped off a backpack, and were on their way to Penn Station, according to the sources.

Sources said the backpack was recovered with a Glock semi-automatic firearm, a ghost gun with an extended 30 round magazine and laser sight. When the two suspects were spotted by MTA Police at Penn Station they were taken into custody, the sources added.

Investigators told CNN there is a strong belief among law enforcement an imminent attack may have been prevented.

Sources said the belief is attributed to the fact one suspect had made a number of threatening posts; obtained a semi-automatic weapon; and had a Nazi armband; a large knife; and a black ski mask.

“Today, we’re extremely grateful to NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners who uncovered and stopped a threat to our Jewish community,” Sewell tweeted. “This morning’s arrests in Penn Station and weapon seizures are proof of their vigilance & collaboration that keeps New Yorkers safe.”

Jewish communities receive threats

City leaders and community organizations have responded to the arrest, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul praising the MTA police officers who spotted and arrested the men.

“Earlier this year I increased @nyspolice’s commitment to tracking domestic violent extremism on social media,” Hochul tweeted. “Today, their vigilance & heroic work by @MTA police officers helped stop a threat to our Jewish communities. Grateful to law enforcement for keeping New Yorkers safe.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams also took to social media to denounce antisemitism. “The message is clear: anti-Semitism has no home in New York City.,” Adams wrote on Twitter.

“If you come here to perpetrate acts of hateful violence, you will be stopped by the finest police force in the world. Thank you to the NYPD for their quick work in bringing these bigots to justice,” Adams said.

This latest threat of violence against synagogues comes more than a week after a New Jersey man was arrested after being accused of making threats to attack a synagogue and Jewish people.

New York state leads the nation in anti-Semitic incidents, with at least 416 reported in 2021, including at least 51 assaults — the highest number ever recorded by the Anti-Defamation League in New York. There were 12 assaults reported in 2020, the ADL said in an audit last week.

A total of 2,717 antisemitic incidents were reported last year across the nation — a 34% increase compared to 2,026 in 2020, according to the ADL.

The ADL has been tracking such incidents since 1979 — and its previous reports have found antisemitism in America has been on the rise for years.

“This comes at a time of heightened sensitivity in the New York area Jewish community after an 18-year-old man was charged with sending threats to the Jewish community in New Jersey just two weeks earlier,” the ADL of New York / New Jersey wrote in a joint statement with the Community Security Initiative and Community Security Service.

“As always, we ask the community to remain vigilant …”

The US assaults last year included that of a Jewish man in New York who was beaten and kicked while antisemitic slurs were hurled at him. He was on his way to a pro-Israel demonstration in Times Square.

Hochul said she has directed New York State Police to “ramp up monitoring and increase support for communities that are potential targets of hate crimes” after this latest threat to the Jewish community and after a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Saturday night.

“Here in New York, we will not tolerate violence or bigotry toward any community. We stand united against hate — today and every day.”

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CNN’s John Miller, Brynn Gingras and Samantha Beech in New York.