A Clifton man was arrested Feb. 1 for attempting to firebomb a North Jersey synagogue by federal authorities.
Nicholas Malindretos, 26, is being charged in federal court with one count of attempted use of fire to damage and destroy a building in the attack against Temple Ner Tamid Jewish Congregation in Bloomfield Jan. 29.
“No one should find that their lives are at risk by exercising their faith,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger in a statement announcing the arrest. “The defendant is alleged to have gone to a synagogue in the middle of the night and maliciously attempted to damage and destroy it using a firebomb. Protecting communities of faith and houses of worship is core to this office’s mission.”
Feds Timeline
According to prosecutors, the surveillance cameras recorded a person later identified as Malindretos as he approached the temple. He was wearing a black ski mask, a black or dark gray hooded sweatshirt with a white emblem of what appeared to be a skull and cross bones, black pants, dark shoes, and white gloves.
The video showed Malindretos walking up to the front entrance area of the temple, pausing, and then igniting a wick on the top of a bottle. He then threw the bottle at the front glass doors of the temple and fled on foot.
License Plates Lead to Arrest
According to a license plate reading device located at Watchung Avenue and Broad Street in Bloomfield, New Jersey less than a half mile from the temple, a black Volkswagen sedan passed that intersection at approximately 15 minutes before Malindretos allegedly threw the ignited bottle at the Temple.
The same LPR detected that the same car passed that intersection at approximately 3:29 a.m., approximately 10 minutes after the molotov cocktail was thrown.
Law enforcement officers located the vehicle in Clifton and saw several items consistent with the video of the incident plainly visible inside. After obtaining a search warrant for the vehicle, video cameras in the area where the vehicle was parked captured a male individual with the same physical characteristics as Malindretos exiting the vehicle and entering a nearby building.
Clifton Resident
That was when authorities arrested the Clifton resident. The count of attempted use of fire to damage and destroy a building used in interstate commerce is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
No motives were provided in the arrest report.
Since the attacks, North Jersey lawmakers have expressed their support for the temple as well as the Jewish community at large.
Lawmakers Speak Out
“Although I am grateful that damage was minimal and no one was injured, I am heartbroken and angry today,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill, whose district the incident happened. “Antisemitic hatred is on the rise in our state, our country, and around the world, and we all must work together to eradicate it.”
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the only Jewish member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation, added after a visit to Temple Ner Tamid that “I’m outraged by this attack on New Jersey’s Jewish community. In the greatest country in the world, religious freedom will win and antisemitism and hate will lose…It’s up to us to stand up and fight back against this drastic and dangerous rise in antisemitism.”
Sellinger promised to “continue to devote whatever resources are necessary to keep our Jewish community and all New Jersey residents safe.”
