Police remove suspicious backpack from near a Birmingham synagogue
In this file photo, Birmingham police block roads around Temple Beth-El on Friday, November 4, 2022. A new mandate will require Alabama law enforcement officers to train on working with people with “invisible” disabilities and sensory needs.
Birmingham Police said a suspicious backpack found unattended near Temple Beth-El Friday morning was a credible threat. Authorities took the package to an off-site location where investigators determined the bag did not contain an explosive device.
Authorities say a propane tank and clothing was found on fire near the synagogue early this morning, and that the flames were put out before 6 a.m. There was no damage to the building. Around 8:30 a.m., police say the Regional Security Advisor for the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Jeff Brown, was notified about an unattended package. Brown identified the package as a backpack and notified Birmingham Police and the FBI. The Birmingham Police bomb squad unit transported the package to an undisclosed location, where they determined it did not contain any explosives.
Police spokesperson Truman Fitzgerald confirmed to WBHM that Birmingham Police have a person of interest in custody. Police are working with the FBI to determine if any criminal charges will be filed. The two agencies are also investigating if the fire and the backpack are connected.
Fitzgerald said Friday’s events were especially alarming because there have been previous threats against the temple. Additionally, Jewish communities have expressed concerns as anti-semitic sentiment has increased nationally.
FBI statistics show that in 2019 nearly 55% of religious hate crimes in the United States were committed against the Jewish community.
“You couple that with everything that’s going on nationally, with anti-semitic remarks, and you have today,” Fitzgerald said.
The incident in Birmingham came one day after the FBI said it received information about a “broad” credible threat to synagogues in New Jersey. Officials urged synagogues there to take security precautions. It also follows recent anti-semitic comments from Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, and NBA player Kyrie Irving. The Brooklyn Nets suspended Irving for at least five games.
In 1958, 54 sticks of dynamite were placed near the Temple Beth-El’s building, but the bomb failed to detonate. A historic marker about the attempted bombing was erected this year near the same stretch of sidewalk where the suspicious backpack was found.
WBHM’s Miranda Fulmore contributed to this story.
Trevi Fountain fee takes effect as Rome seeks to manage tourist crowds
Tourists hoping to get close to the Trevi Fountain had to pay 2 euros starting Monday as the city of Rome inaugurated a new fee structure to help raise money and control crowds.
Clintons agree to testify in House Epstein investigation ahead of contempt of Congress vote
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in a House investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the Republican leading the probe said an agreement had not yet been finalized.
Appeals court overturns former UCLA gynecologist’s sex abuse conviction
It was ruled Dr. James Heaps was denied a fair trial because the judge did not share with his defense counsel a note by the court's foreman pointing out concerns that one juror lacked sufficient English to carry out their duties.
Populist conservative Laura Fernández wins Costa Rica’s presidential election
Candidate Laura Fernández won a resounding victory, promising to continue the aggressive reorienting of the Central American nation's politics started by her predecessor.
What Jared Kushner’s ‘New Gaza’ plan includes, and what it leaves out
President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner laid out a plan for a "New Gaza." A close look suggests it makes room for fewer Palestinians and less housing.
Trump administration sued over visa freeze on immigrants from 75 countries
A group of nonprofit organizations and U.S. citizens Monday filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's sweeping suspension of immigrant visa processing for people from nearly half of the world's countries.
