Indianapolis authorities reported the arrest of a woman on Friday who has been labeled a “terrorist” by police following a deliberate car crash into a building she mistakenly thought to be a Jewish school.
Ruba Almaghtheh, age 34, faces charges of criminal recklessness after she purposefully crashed her vehicle into a structure she believed was a Jewish school, according to a police report obtained by Fox 59.
Almaghtheh, motivated by news coverage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, admitted to targeting what she perceived as a Jewish establishment due to the “Hebrew Israelite” symbol on the building.
The suspect drove by the building multiple times before executing the attack. “Yes. I did it on purpose,” Almaghtheh confessed to officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, acknowledging her intent to commit a hate crime.
Her actions, based on a misunderstanding of the building’s occupants, have led to her being labeled a “terrorist” by the police, according to Fox 59.
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Court records obtained by Indy Star noted that no one was injured in the incident; however, an adult, a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, a 1-year-old, and a 7-month-old were inside the building when Almaghtheh crashed into it. The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m., with law enforcement swiftly responding to what was initially investigated as a hate crime, according to Fox 59.
Contrary to Almaghtheh’s belief, the building is associated with the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge. The organization, connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites, has faced criticism and been deemed antisemitic by the Anti-Defamation League, while the Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes the Black Hebrew Israelites as a hate group, according to The Daily Wire.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis emphasized community safety following the event. A statement obtained by Fox 59 assured that the security program, Safe Indiana, was notified of the incident and working in conjunction with authorities as part of the investigation.
“Safety and security for our community is of the utmost importance, and we are more secure and prepared than ever before,” Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis officials stated, “Although a Jewish facility was not targeted, solely due to ironic misidentification, this is yet another reminder to maintain security protocols, remain vigilant of suspicious activity and to [report promptly] to the appropriate authorities.”
Almaghtheh is expected to appear in court on Wednesday to face her charges.
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
