‘Terrorist crashed car into building she mistook for a Jewish school’ | US News

A woman allegedly plowed her car into a building she thought was a Jewish school, but was actually being used by an antisemitic hate group.

Ruba Almaghtheh, 34, is accused of backing her car into a building associated with Black Hebrew Israelites in Indianapolis, Indiana, around 11.30pm on Friday, while children and adults were inside, according to Fox 59.

Almaghtheh said she was watching news on the Israel-Hamas war on TV and decided to target the building because it had a ‘Hebrew Israelite’ symbol on its front.

She had gone past the building a couple of times and referred to it as the ‘Israel school’, cops said.

Almaghtheh mentioned ‘her people back in Palestine’ and admitted, ‘Yes, I did it on purpose’, police said.

But instead of being a Jewish school, the building was being used by the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge, which is an ‘extreme and antisemitic’ sect of the Black Hebrew Israelites, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

In addition, the Southern Poverty Law Group (SPLC) designates Black Hebrew Israelites as a hate group founded in 1969, although it no longer refers to it by that name.

‘Hebrew Israelites should not be confused with Black Jews or Jewish individuals of color,’ states the SPLC. ‘SPLC no longer refers to these groups as solely Black Hebrew Israelites, as there are Latin and Indigenous members of these groups, and there are non-radical sects of the Hebrew Israelite faith who identify as Black Hebrew Israelites.’

Almaghtheh was arrested and hit with a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness. She reportedly admitted to committing a ‘hate crime’ in a phone call with a family member.

Police labeled Almaghtheh as a ‘terrorist’.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis said on Sunday that the Jewish community security program Safe Indiana was made aware of the incident.

‘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,’ stated the federation.

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