Israeli-American teen convicted in Israel for bomb threats against US institutions

An Israeli-American teen was found guilty Thursday of making more than 1,000 bomb threats against Jewish and other organizations in the U.S. in recent years.

Reuters reported that an Israeli court found Michael Kadar, 19, guilty on charges of extortion, disseminating hoaxes to spread panic and money launder.

While Kadar had previously been identified in indictments for hate crimes in the U.S., Israeli authorities did not publish his name because he was a minor when some of the incidents took place, Reuters reported.

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The charges stem from bomb threats he made in 2016 and 2017, after he turned 18 years old, against Jewish community centers, schools, police stations and other facilities. Incidents from before his 18th birthday are still under review in Israel.

Kadar also allegedly made similar threats in Australia and New Zealand, using technology to hide where the calls originated from.

The threats were part of a broader wave of bomb scares at Jewish community centers across the country that prompted concerns of growing anti-Semitism. 

The threats coincided with Trump’s election and inauguration, leading lawmakers and advocacy groups to call for the president to condemn anti-Semitism.

Eventually, Trump addressed the incidents, calling the threats “a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.”