U.S. Dual Citizen Arrested for Alleged Firebomb Plot Against Tel Aviv Embassy

Joseph Neumayer, a 28-year-old dual U.S. and German citizen, was arrested for allegedly planning to firebomb the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, following troubling social media posts and the discovery of Molotov cocktails in his possession.

A 28-year-old dual citizen of the U.S. and Germany, Joseph Neumayer, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to firebomb the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Neumayer was taken into custody at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport after being deported from Israel, where he was discovered with Molotov cocktails in a backpack near the embassy.

Authorities report that upon his arrest, Neumayer appeared in court and is currently being held in custody. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, "This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump's life." His arrest comes in the wake of a tragic incident in which a gunman killed two Israeli embassy staff outside a museum in Washington D.C.

Neumayer traveled to Israel in April, and on May 19, he approached the U.S. embassy with a dark backpack containing explosive devices. During this encounter, he allegedly spat on an embassy security guard and fled, leaving behind the backpack filled with the incendiary devices. Following his escape, police apprehended Neumayer at his hotel.

Moreover, Neumayer has made alarming declarations on social media, expressing intentions to “burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv” and calling for violence against Americans. Additionally, threats against President Trump were noted in posts linked to his accounts. He now faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. This incident is set against the backdrop of escalating tensions, particularly following the recent shooting of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C., described as a premeditated attack by a suspect who reportedly uttered political slogans during the crime. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is scheduled to attend a memorial for the victims in Israel.