Jersey City Shooting: Suspect Published Anti-Semitic Posts, Official Says

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/11/nyregion/jersey-city-shooting.html

The firefight that left six people dead is believed to have been motivated by anti-Semitic and anti-police sentiments, an official said.

By Michael Gold and Ali Watkins

An assailant involved in a prolonged firefight in Jersey City, N.J., that left six people dead, including one police officer, had published anti-Semitic and anti-police posts online and investigators believe the attack was motivated by those sentiments, a law enforcement official familiar with the case said on Wednesday.

Investigators also found a manifesto-style note inside the assailants’ van, the law enforcement official and another official familiar with the case said.

The document, which was described as brief and “rambling,” suggested no clear motive for the shooting. Investigators also found a live pipe bomb inside the vehicle, the law enforcement official said.

The law enforcement official could not provide more details about the suspect’s online posts or where they had been published. He said that investigators were still reviewing that information.

So far, the authorities have not identified the attackers, who were killed in the firefight. None of the three victims inside the store have been publicly identified by officials. The Jersey City police officer who was killed was identified on Tuesday as Detective Joe Seals, a 15-year law enforcement veteran and a father of five.

</snip>

Domestic terrorism.

[Bonx]

1. This is definitively terrorism

[herding cats]

2. They've been identified now as David Anderson and Francine Graham

Who Are Jersey City Shootout Suspects?

Three sources say Anderson was a one-time follower of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, a group whose members believe they are descendants of the ancient Israelites and may adhere to both Christian and Judaic beliefs. There was a note with religious writings in the U-Haul he and Graham allegedly drove to the scene, but a motive -- including any alleged nexus to hate or terror remains under active investigation, officials say.

Law enforcement sources had no immediate details on Graham, but a neighbor tells News 4 she lived near him for years. The neighbor described Graham as a former home health aide in Manhattan who met Anderson after she got hurt at work and quit; he says Graham turned into a "dark person" after they met.

The neighbor also claims Graham was coerced into a militant religion he could not identify; chanting and reading of the New Testament, translated into "evil," could be heard from her home, he said. A year ago, the neighbor says Graham stopped paying her condo fees and left. Jersey City tells News 4 the mortgage was assumed by a bank in November 2018.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jersey-city-shootout-developing-details-3-2/2239660/

It seems to be domestic terrorism and/or a hate crime. The "religion" he was associated with is known to hates Jewish people.

[forthemiddle]

3. No better than Dylan Roof

We will see if this gets as much national attention, like it should.

[cwydro]

4. It sure as hell won't get as much DU attention, you can bet on that.

I expect all threads about this killing to be off the front page by the end of the day, if not before.

[jcmaine72]

8. It won't receive as much attention here because DU is inherently (blank).

Please fill in the blank and help me understand your point better. Thanks!

[sarisataka]

11. You are prescient nt

[jcmaine72]

7. Sorry, but that sounds like a RW talking point.

So far I've seen coverage of this tragedy on every major news outlet. That's pretty substantial traction. How much coverage is "enough", and compared to what?

Perhaps I just misunderstood your post?

[cwydro]

9. It's getting a lot of national attention.

Even the lame Today show led off with it.

[Dorian Gray]

12. It should get as much national attention

Why do you think it won't?

Because those who were killed were cops and/or Jewish?

Or because the perpetrators were black americans attached to a problematic hate-filled religion?

Hatred is a real problem in this world, and this is a true example of why. Here in NYC we've gotten a lot of news about this in the last 24 hours.

[IronLionZion]

5. They should have never been allowed into this country!

oh wait...they're Americans.

The Trump administration is ignoring the domestic terrorism problem in this country and wants us to think it is a foreign problem. In this case it was black hebrew Israelites attacking Jewish people. Other cases it is white supremacists targeting people of color or other faiths. Either way, it's Americans killing Americans in America and we just kind of accept it as normal. It's not normal. It's unacceptable. And they're not doing enough to stop it because they are concentrating on screwing over immigrants.

[Mike 03]

6. Some more info about this group from Wikipedia

Black Hebrew Israelites (also called Black Hebrews, African Hebrew Israelites, and Hebrew Israelites) are groups of Black Americans who claim to be the descendants of the ancient Israelites. To varying degrees, Black Hebrews adhere to the religious beliefs and practices of both Christianity and Judaism. With the exception of a small number of individuals who have formally converted to Judaism, they are not recognized as Jews by the greater Jewish community. Many choose to identify as Hebrew Israelites or Black Hebrews rather than Jews in order to indicate their claimed historic connections.[1][2][3][4]

Specifically relevant to this crime:

Allegations of black supremacy and racism
In late 2008, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) wrote that "the extremist fringe of the Hebrew Israelite movement" is black supremacist. It also wrote that the members of such groups "believe that Jews are devilish impostors and ... openly condemn whites as evil personified, deserving only death or slavery". The SPLC also wrote that "most Hebrew Israelites are neither explicitly racist nor anti-Semitic and do not advocate violence".[63]

The Black Hebrew groups characterized as black supremacist by the SPLC include the Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge,[64] the Nation of Yahweh[65] and the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ.[63] Also, the Anti-Defamation League has written that the "12 Tribes of Israel" website, maintained by a Black Hebrew group, promotes black supremacy.[66]

A 1999 FBI terrorism risk assessment report stated that "violent radical fringe members" of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement hold "beliefs [that] bear a striking resemblance to the Christian Identity theology practiced by many white supremacists."[67][68] It also wrote that "the overwhelming majority of [Black Hebrew Israelites] are unlikely to engage in violence."[67]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hebrew_Israelites#Allegations_of_black_supremacy_and_racism

What was initially confusing to me, having never heard of this group, is how individuals who identify as Israelites (and often practice Judaism) could murder Jewish people, but this clarifies it.

[Mc Mike]

10. Reminds me of this group:

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/blacks-for-trump-michael-black-man-yahweh-ben-yahweh-cult