A number of bomb threats have been made, directed at 16 different Jewish Community Centers over the last couple of weeks.
According to the JCC Association of North America, fourteen centers in 10 states plus a Canadian province.
Police in Albany tweeted “Officers are on the scene of bomb threat at #Albany JCC.
Staff notified police after receiving phone call. More information to follow” An all-clear was given later.
Authorities say the reports have only been proven as a hoax, so far. Those centers have been working with the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement to reassure safety for the congregation, staff and clergy.
Many of the JCC are continuing to train staff and monitor buildings in accordance with recommendations made by various agencies.
New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman released this statement regarding the JCC threats,
“Despite recent high-profile attacks carried out by white supremacist extremists, including the shootings at the Emmanuel AME church in Charleston, and the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, the Trump Administration is reportedly planning to narrow the scope of the Countering Violent Extremism program to only focus on what the administration deems “Islamic extremism.”
Abandoning efforts to counter violent white supremacist ideology is profoundly misguided and will endanger Americans.
I strongly urge President Trump to maintain the focus of the Countering Violent Extremism program on these, and all extremist threats, rather than allowing certain extremist ideologies to flourish unchallenged.Regardless of federal policy, I would also renew my appeal to my colleagues in local law enforcement to aggressively investigate and prosecute all hate crimes.
On November 16, 2016 my office provided guidance to local law enforcement on how to identify, investigate, and prosecute bias related crimes, and my office stands ready to assist in those matters in any way we can.”
