Chemical jars thrown into homes, Hamas symbols spray-painted: 12 indicted in intimidation campaign against Jews and Israel supporters in the US
The US Department of Justice announced the filing of an indictment against four additional defendants in the case of a campaign of threats and intimidation against the Jewish community in Detroit, senior University of Michigan officials, and entities identified with Israel, bringing the total number of defendants to 12. According to the prosecution, the involved individuals threw chemical jars and spray-painted Hamas symbols.
The US Department of Justice announced last night (Friday) the filing of an indictment against four additional defendants in the case of a campaign of threats and intimidation against the Jewish community in Detroit, senior University of Michigan officials, and entities identified with Israel, bringing the total number of defendants in the case to 12. According to the federal prosecution, members of the group allegedly acted to terrorize their victims through threats, property damage, smashing windows, and throwing glass jars containing harmful chemical substances into family homes. Homes and workplaces were spray-painted with symbols associated with Hamas, including inverted red triangles and red handprint marks. The four new defendants are Henry David Mackin-Shapiro, Aaron Hunter Venbergen, Joseph Mark Fischer, and Srishti Terna Sharma. According to the amended indictment, the defendants formulated detailed plans aimed at forcing the University of Michigan and business entities to sever all ties with Israel, and the activity developed after the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. Federal prosecutor Jerome Gorgon Jr. said: "The alleged attempts to terrorize our Jewish community and government representatives are nothing new. From Pharaoh, through Hitler, to Hamas, those who terrorized Jews were the bad guys."