A man from Michigan, Carl David Mintz, was arrested after he posted a threatening message on social media targeting Palestinian Americans in Dearborn, a city near Detroit with a significant Arab-American population.
He is now facing one felony charge for making a terrorism threat and a misdemeanor charge for the malicious use of a telecommunication device, according to a press release from the Dearborn Police Department.
The investigation began following an anonymous tip received by the police last Wednesday regarding a post made by Mintz online.
He was apprehended at his residence in nearby Farmington Hills on Thursday.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud expressed that threats of violence against their community will not be tolerated, and the charges reflect the seriousness of the hate message posted online.
As part of his bail conditions, Mintz is required to wear a GPS tether device, is prohibited from possessing weapons, and using the internet.
Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin stated that they take all threats very seriously, and while there are no further credible threats known at the moment, they have increased police presence across the city and at places of worship to ensure public safety and security for Dearborn's residents, workers, and visitors.
Dearborn has one of the largest Arab American populations in the U.S., making up about 42% of the city's residents.
In 2021, the city elected its first Arab American mayor. This arrest coincides with the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East, which began almost two weeks ago when Hamas launched an attack on the country.
It also comes in the wake of an incident in which an Illinois landlord allegedly stabbed a Muslim woman and her 6-year-old son.
The boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, tragically passed away, and the mother, Hanaan Shahin, suffered severe injuries. Joseph M. Czuba, 71, is now facing a murder charge, and the Department of Justice has initiated a hate crime investigation.
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