American Charged With Attempted Firebombing of Tel Aviv US Embassy

A dual U.S.-German citizen allegedly intended to bomb the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, and he faces years behind bars and a hefty fine if convicted, authorities said Sunday.

Joseph Neumeyer, born in Colorado, approached the embassy May 19 while carrying a dark-colored backpack and spat at an embassy guard near the employee entrance of the diplomatic building, according to a criminal complaint by the FBI. Neumeyer swore at the guard and managed to escape arrest, but he left behind his backpack. In it, the guard found at least one Molotov cocktail, the complaint alleged.

Law enforcement agents tracked him to a nearby hotel, where they arrested him after he identified himself and allegedly suggested that his backpack contained Molotov cocktail bottles. Hours before the incident, Neumeyer allegedly posted on a Facebook account — that the FBI said was his — messages such as “Join me this afternoon in Tel Aviv- we are burning down the US embassy” and “Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America, death to Americans, and f— the west,” screenshots in the criminal complaint show.

More than once in March, Neumeyer allegedly posted death threats to the same Facebook account against U.S. President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk, more screenshots in the complaint show. Neumeyer departed the U.S. for Canada sometime in February and traveled to Israel on or around May 19, the FBI alleged. (Read more from “American Charged With Attempted Firebombing of Tel Aviv US Embassy” HERE)