A female “terrorist” was arrested after she crashed her car into what she believed to be a Jewish school telling cops she planned the attack and did it “on purpose” as she was upset about the Israel-Hamas war. Ruba Almaghtheh, 34, purposely crashed her vehicle into the Black Hebrew Israelite building on North Keystone Ave in Indianapolis at 11:30 p.m. on Friday.
The building had children inside at that time. Almaghtheh told cops she believed it was a Jewish school, after seeing a Star of David sign hanging outside the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge. However, the location is used by the Black Hebrew Israelites, a sect described as ‘extreme and antisemitic’ by the Anti-Defamation League.
Terrorist Mind
Almaghtheh, originally from Jordan, told cops that she had been following the news and expressed feeling overwhelmed, stating she “couldn’t breathe anymore.” According to Fox59/CBS4, she referred to ‘her people’ in Palestine.
Almaghtheh said that she had driven by the building multiple times before the attack on Friday, identifying it as an ‘Israel school.’ She confessed to deliberately carrying out the act, telling the police, “Yes, I did it on purpose.”
Although there were people inside the building, no one was hurt, according to officials. According to a report, Almaghtheh was charged with criminal carelessness preliminary.
This Tuesday marks one month since 1,400 innocent Israeli civilians—babies, children, and the elderly—were massacred and 240 were taken hostage during Hamas’ historic invasion of Israel on October 7.
The health ministry in Gaza, which is under Hamas control, announced on Monday that since Israel began its military offensive and retaliated almost a month ago, more than 10,000 Palestinians have died in the territory.
According to the officers, Almaghtheh backed her car into the building while several parents and children were inside. No one was hurt, according to the officials.
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She told police that the ‘Hebrew Israelite’ symbol on the front of the building offended her, so she organized the attack.
Just Out of Hatred
Not much detail is available about Almaghtheh. However, based on her Facebook profile, she likely is a Palestinian woman who has lived in Amman, Jordan. She confessed to committing what she referred to as a ‘hate crime’ during a conversation with her family members over the phone.
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According to reports, the police have been in contact with the FBI concerning the incident.
Both the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Southern Poverty Law Center have classified Black Hebrew Israelites as a hate group.
On Sunday, The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis released a statement to the community, acknowledging the incident that occurred. They notified Safe Indiana, a Jewish community security program, which is collaborating with law enforcement to investigate the matter.
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“Safety and security for our community is of the utmost importance, and we are more secure and prepared than ever before,” the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis officials wrote in a press release.
While the incident wasn’t a deliberate targeting of a Jewish facility but rather an ironic misidentification, this event serves as a reminder to uphold security protocols, stay vigilant in observing any suspicious activities, and promptly report such occurrences to the relevant authorities.
Almaghtheh is set to appear for her first court hearing on Wednesday.
