New Jersey Man Arrested in Plot to Firebomb Activist's Home

Law enforcement authorities arrested a New Jersey man on Thursday after thwarting his plan to firebomb the Brooklyn home of a prominent Palestinian activist, according to a federal criminal complaint and statements from officials.

The suspect, 26-year-old Andrew Heifler of Hoboken, New Jersey, targeted Nerdeen Kiswani, a 31-year-old co-founder of the activist group Within Our Lifetime. Kiswani, who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and infant son, has organized numerous protests against Israel's actions in Gaza. Authorities said Heifler assembled components for at least eight Molotov cocktails using highly flammable Everclear alcohol, rags and corks, intending to throw a dozen of the devices at Kiswani's residence and two parked cars outside.

The plot unraveled through a weeks-long undercover operation led by the New York City Police Department's counterterrorism bureau, including its Racially and Ethnically Motivated Extremism unit, in coordination with the FBI. An undercover NYPD detective infiltrated a group chat where Heifler participated. The complaint details that Heifler first discussed his intentions during a February video call, expressing interest in self-defense...