Trevor Mitchell, and Dana Ferguson

Argus Leader





A man who authorities say brought weapons to an anti-Islam event earlier this month has been arrested on charges that he made a terrorist threat, according to a release from the South Dakota Attorney General.

Ehab Abdulmutta Jaber, 45, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of terrorist threat, despite an earlier indication from Sioux Falls police that the man would face no charges.

The incident in question occurred after Jaber attended an anti-Islam speaking event titled "Sabotaging America: Islam’s March Towards Supremacy" on April 9, and recorded himself holding up a copy of the Quran as he pointed his camera at the crowd.

Security officers at the Hilton Garden Inn South, where the event took place, believed Jaber had weapons on his person and asked him to leave.

Jaber returned to his vehicle and brandished "a number of firearms and ammunition," the release said, and began "live streaming terrorist threats to the public."

Attorney General Marty Jackley said that he and Lincoln County State's Attorney Tom Wollman reviewed the Facebook Live video and said they felt Jaber's comments violated state statute, which prohibits threats to "commit a crime of violence with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population."

Sgt. Rob Forster with the Sioux Falls Police Department said Jaber's arrest took place at his residence, near the area of East 12th Street and South Thompson Avenue.

A SWAT team was dispatched along with local police, Forster said, but once they arrived, Jaber was taken into custody in a "standard operation."

During a search of Jaber’s residence, the release said, law enforcement seized firearms as well as methamphetamine.

Sam Clemens, a spokesman with the Sioux Falls Police Department, said on April 17 that police and FBI agents met with the man twice on April 9 and verified he posed no harm to the attendees of the event.

"Everything he was doing was legal. He didn't break any laws so we didn't charge him," Clemens said. "It would have been a different story if he had threatened anybody."

The case was later moved to the Lincoln County State's Attorney's Office, and Lt. Mike Colwill with the Sioux Falls Police Department said they would determine if the language in the video was aggressive toward an individual or group.

The decision not to initially press charges frustrated some who felt Jaber's actions put event attendees in danger. The speakers at the event called on Sioux Falls police and the Minnehaha County state's attorney to press charges.

Despite the news about the incident, Jackley said public pressure had no bearing on Jaber's arrest.

"If anything, the public pressure can create more challenges for an investigation," Jackley said. "It doesn't play any role in our investigation or our decisions."

If convicted, Jaber could face up to 5 years in the state penitentiary and/or a fine of $10,000. The possession of methamphetamine case is being prosecuted by the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney.

Jaber didn't immediately return a phone call requesting comment Friday.