U.S. Senate unanimously urges agencies to act on threats to Jewish centers

WASHINGTON — Saying it has become clear that threats of violence against Jewish centers, schools and synagogues in the United States are not “isolated incidents,” the U.S. Senate, in a rare show of unanimity, has urged Homeland Security, the FBI and the Justice Department to help enhance security, deter the threats and prosecute those making them.

Georgia’s U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Marietta, and David Perdue, R-Sea Island, joined their 98 colleagues in signing the letter dated Tuesday.

Isakson and Perdue noted that Georgia has not been exempt from the threats. They said the Jewish Federation reported the Atlanta Jewish Academy, the Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody and the Augusta Jewish Community Center have been threatened. The Anti-Defamation League said its Atlanta office received a threat this week.

The ADL says there have been about 140 threats made nationwide since Jan. 4 that have come in six waves. The Jewish Federations of North America say there have been 98 incidents against community centers and schools at 81 locations in 33 states. Some bomb threats have been emailed and others have been called in, some with distorted voices.

The ADL website shows the first two threats were in Florida and Georgia. An interactive map on the site, shows the progression through Tuesday, when 15 threats were made that morning.

“ADL is not intimidated,” CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement on the website. “This only hardens our resolve to fight against anti-Semitism.”

The only arrest has been Juan Thompson, 31, of St. Louis, Mo., who has been charged with cyberstalking. He was accused of making at least eight threats. Thompson, who was fired from his job because of falsified reporting, was accused of making the threats to intimidate a woman with whom he formerly had a romantic relationship.

In the letter, senators called on Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director James Comey to provide specific plans that will be taken by the administration to protect the centers from the current threats of violence.

In their letter, senators thanked the departments for their ongoing efforts on the issue and asked each to “inform us of the actions that your departments plan to take to address threats against these and other religious institutions.”

“We are concerned that the number of incidents is accelerating, and failure to address and deter these threats will place innocent people at risk and threaten the financial viability of JCCs, many of which are institutions in their communities,” the senators wrote. “We stand ready to work with you to ensure that these centers can continue to serve their communities free from violence and intimidation.”