Florida man arrested for planning attack on AIPAC during Hanukkah

A Florida man was arrested on a federal harassment charge last week after FBI intercepted their plot to kill, wound, harass and intimidate members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) at the South Florida offices on the first night of Hanukkah CBS News reported Wednesday.

CBS identified the alleged perpetrator as Forrest Pemberton.

Court documents obtained by CBS revealed that law enforcement tracked Pemberton at a hotel less than two miles from AIPAC’s Florida address on December 22 and he was then monitored several hours north in Tallahassee, Florida, on Christmas.

According to court documents obtained by CBS, Pemberton was in a rideshare vehicle carrying three firearms, including an AR-style rifle and ammunition, when law enforcement officers stopped the vehicle on December 25.

In a statement obtained by The Jerusalem PostAIPAC said it is working with authorities “in relation to this matter.”

“We will not be deterred by extremists in our mission to strengthen the relationship with America’s valued ally, Israel,” an AIPAC spokesperson said. “We deeply appreciate the work of the FBI in apprehending this individual.”

An FBI logo appears on an agent’s shirt. (credit: REUTERS/CARLO ALLEGRI)

Prosecutors allege that Pemberton was interviewed by agents on Dec. 26 about his intentions.

fbi affidavit

According to an FBI affidavit filed by prosecutors, when Pemberton was asked if he was planning a “mass casualty” event and then a suicide, Pemberton allegedly responded, “Um, I really don’t know if I was going to end my life or with that.” No. I hadn’t gotten that far yet. It entirely depended on whether I ended up getting caught or not. “If they caught him, that was a way out.”

Pemberton allegedly told officers, according to documents obtained by CBS, that he had firearms with him and that the purpose of his actions was “two-fold.”

“As I said before, I sell them if I need them, but otherwise they can be used for criminal purposes if I wanted to, which was my intention, such as harming another individual,” Pemberton said in charging documents. .

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CBS said prosecutors say Pemberton said he chose to target AIPAC “because of its political influence” and because of his “frustration with the status quo.”