


A dual US-German national attempted to firebomb the Tel Aviv branch office of the US embassy in Israel last week and was deported back to the United States, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said on Sunday.
The suspect, Joseph Neumeyer, 28, from Colorado, arrived in Israel in April. He was arrested at his hotel on May 19 after leaving a backpack full of explosives near the US embassy branch, US prosecutors said.
He was then deported back to the US on May 25 and was arrested upon landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport. He is charged with attempting to destroy, by means of fire or explosive, the US embassy mission.
Neumayer was arrested after he arrived outside the US embassy branch office carrying a backpack, and “without provocation,” spat on an embassy guard, the US Department of Justice said. When the guard attempted to detain him, Neumeyer fled to his hotel room, but left his backpack behind.
Upon inspection, the backpack was found to contain three Molotov cocktails.
He was then tracked down and arrested at his hotel.
An investigation into Neumayer’s social media accounts following his arrest revealed that on the same day as he approached the US embassy branch, he had posted on Facebook: “Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f–k the west,” according to court documents unsealed by the district attorney’s office.
According to the Ynet news site, he had also uploaded several other incendiary Facebook posts during his visit to Israel, including one featuring a swastika, and another — in which he commented on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest — containing the phrase “Long live the Fourth Reich.”
The Department of Justice said a separate social media account believed to belong to Neumeyer had published threats to assassinate Trump.
“This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump’s life,” said US Attorney General Pam Bondi in a statement. “The Department will not tolerate such violence and will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
If convicted, Neumeyer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000, the district attorney’s office said.
This despicable and violent behavior will not be tolerated at home or abroad,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI, working with our partners, will bring him to face justice for his dangerous actions.”