Update: according to the same Twitter account, no explosives found on the arrested suspect. NYPD said it detained the suspect due to his suspicious behavior, and added that "he was in possession of a tool that could be used as a weapon"

Update

No explosives found.

NYPD detained the suspect due to suspicious behavior. Was in possession of a tool that could be used as a weapon pic.twitter.com/IvQKJxAIi4 — Buffing Actions News (@BuffingActions) January 9, 2017

* * *

According to a breaking police-news related Twitter account, Buffing Action News, a man was arrested in the Flatbush part of Brooklyn, on Avenue M and East 18th street this afternoon, "for having an explosive device" after he threatened to "blow up Jews."

It was not immediately clear if the suspect actually had explosives on his person, or was simply threatening.

Flatbush

Avenue M & E18th

Man arrested for having explosive device. Threatend to "blow up Jews" pic.twitter.com/5PBnDLlVHc — Buffing Actions News (@BuffingActions) January 9, 2017

Man with explosives threatens to "blow up Jews" in Flatbush.

(All rights reserved - message us privately for photo use)@njburkett7 pic.twitter.com/QCvuPJbQ4j — Buffing Actions News (@BuffingActions) January 9, 2017

While we await a second source confirmation - so take this report with a grain of salt - it is worth noting that earlier today, Jewish Community Centers around the country reportedly received bomb threats on Monday. Heavy presented the full list of which states and cities have reported bomb threats, which had to be evacuated, when and where. So far, police have not reported a known link among the threats. The threats were phoned in all around the same time, mostly between 10 a.m. and Noon local time. So far, no one has found an actual bomb and it appears these may have all been hoaxes, but police are still investigating. No one has claimed responsibility for the threats and, as of the time of publication, no one has been arrested.

The centers that received threats are listed in alphabetical order by state below. So far, six states have reported threats today: Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Tennessee. There may be more threats from today, as some sources said as many as 20 JCCs received threats so far. We’ll update this story as we learn about any additional centers that aren’t listed.

California Jewish Community Center Bomb Threat (Unconfirmed)

Reports of a JCC bomb threat in California today might be the result of people getting a bomb threat in Florida confused with California. We haven’t yet been able to track down a specific threat in the state of California from Monday, January 9, despite seeing tweets about a California threat. But in Florida, one of the bomb threats was reported at a JCC off San Jose Rd., which might be a source of some of the confusion.

A threat was phoned into a JCC in California in July, in Foster City. This happened at the Peninsula Jewish Community Center. The building was secured that afternoon.

Delaware Jewish Community Center Bomb Threat

In New Castle, Delaware, a bomb threat was called in just before noon to the local Jewish Community Center, the Tennessean reported. The Jewish Press reported that this bomb threat was phoned in to the Siegel Jewish Community Center north of Wilmington around 11:45 a.m. The caller said the bomb was somewhere inside the complex. Everyone from four facilities at the site were evacuated: the JCC, the Jewish Federation of Delaware, the Albert Einstein Academy, and Jewish Family Services of Delaware.

Florida Jewish Community Centers’ Bomb Threats

In Florida, four cities’ Jewish Community Centers reported bomb threats on Monday morning, the Tennessean reported. These were Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami Beach.

The Miami bomb threat was phone in on Monday morning and police gave an all clear around 11 a.m. No devices were found at any of the locations. As a precaution, about 450 students and 70 teachers and staff were evacuated from Alper JCC School, The Jewish Press reported. Police were also called to the Jewish Community Center in Pine Tree at Miami Beach.

Maryland Jewish Community Centers’ Bomb Threats

In Maryland, a bomb threat was called into a Rockville, Maryland JCC, the Tennessean reported. The threat was leveled against Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington,The Jewish Press reported. The building was evacuated, but an all clear was later issued.

New Jersey Jewish Community Centers Bomb Threats

In Tenafly, the JCC on Palisades sent out a text alert about a bomb threat that it received shortly after noon, NBC New York reported. A preschool, senior center, and adult daycare facility were evacuated. An all clear was given later.

South Carolina Jewish Community Centers’ Bomb Threats

Columbia, South Carolina also received a bomb threat to the Katie and Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center on Flora Drive, WISTV reported. The threat was called in just before 11:30 a.m. Police found nothing.

Tennessee Jewish Community Centers’ Bomb Threats

In Nashville, a threat was phoned in around 10:30 a.m. to the Gordon Jewish Community Center at 801 Percy Warner Blvd., the Tennessean reported. About 100 people were evacuated. Police gave an all clear about two hours later.

Threats Outside the U.S.

Threats have also been reported in the United Kingdom. In London, threats were called in to schools in Roehamptom, Ilford, and Brent. All the threats reported bombs in the buildings, prompting the schools to be evacuated, the Tennessean reported.







