FLORIDA
A 40-year-old self-professed anti-Semite was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction on a synagogue in Aventura, Florida, officials announced this week.
James Gonzalo Medina, 40, of Hollywood, Florida, was arrested Saturday as he approached the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center.
According to the allegations, this is what happened:
In March 2016, Medina came to the attention of the FBI due to his conversations about attacking a synagogue in South Florida
The FBI was able to gauge Medina’s interest in the plot and collect evidence through the use of a confidential informant..
Medina expressed anti-Semitic views and identified to the informant the target of his attack, a Jewish synagogue in Aventura.
The complaint further alleges that Medina wanted to use an explosive device to commit the attack and engaged the CHS and an undercover FBI employee about the details of his planned criminal conduct.
In preparation for the proposed attack, Medina studied the synagogue property to assess its vulnerabilities.
According to the criminal complaint, this is part of a conversation that took place between Medina and the informant:
Confidential Informant: You know, you know what Yom Kippur is?
Medina : Yom Kippur? I heard of that
Informant: Yeah, uh, it’s like a Jewish holiday. It’s in two weeks.
Medina: Hmmm. Well,–
Informant: [OV] But.
Medina: –now that’ll be a good day to go and bomb them …
On April 29, 2016, Medina took possession of an inert explosive device and was arrested while approaching the synagogue. Medina was under FBI surveillance and, once the FBI became involved, it worked to effectively mitigate any danger posed to the public.
A complaint is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Medina faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The arrest was the culmination of an undercover operation during which Medina was closely monitored by the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force. The explosive device that he allegedly sought and attempted to use had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement and posed no threat to the public.
To read the Medina complaint, which includes a conversation among Medina and his associates, click here: Department of Justice