Alabama Man Arrested Over Synagogue Attack Plot

Authorities arrested 33-year-old Jeremy Wayne Shoemaker of Needham, Alabama, after being alerted to credible threats of violence against multiple synagogues in Alabama and neighboring states and executing a search warrant at his home. Law enforcement seized multiple weapons, including a newly purchased assault rifle with extended magazines, body armor, more than a suitcase full of ammunition and other items tied to the alleged plot, and investigators said he appeared prepared to die in a confrontation and may have also targeted public figures. The FBI, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the First Judicial Circuit Special Response Team and multiple local agencies coordinated the operation and credited that cooperation with averting likely acts of violence. Shoemaker was locally charged with resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, is being held on a raised cash bond reported at $150,000, and officials say multiple federal charges are likely though it is unclear whether hate-crime charges will be filed. Community leaders, including the Birmingham Jewish Federation, said there is no current credible threat to their community, and the investigation is ongoing.