US man charged after threatening to firebomb 'Muslim-looking' neighbours

US man charged after threatening to firebomb 'Muslim-looking' neighbours
Man who called police after seeing his neighbour wearing a 'Muslim hat' is charged with a hate crime for allegedly planning firebombing attacks.
2 min read
27 Oct, 2017
Gerard Medvec called police after seeing a man wearing a 'Muslim hat' [Delaware City Police]

US Police have charged a man with terroristic threatening in association with a hate crime after he allegedly planned to throw Molotov cocktails at the home of neighbours he believed were Muslim.

Gerard Medvec, 64, was arrested by police in Delaware City on Friday after he told authorities about his potentially deadly plan.

According to local media outlet The News Journal, Medvec, had been spying on his neighbours with binoculars and told authorities he would "take the fight to them" by firebombing their house.

His neighbours, it transpired, were not Muslim.

Medvec reportedly met with Delaware City's police chief on October 5 to discuss his concerns about Muslims entering the US, court papers revealed. During this meeting, Medvec told the police chief that he had a concealed carry permit and was willing to defend himself and his country.

Just over a week later, Medvec called the 911 emergency hotline and claimed that his life was under threat. When police arrived, the 64-year-old said he had been alarmed when he saw "a black male wearing a 'Muslim hat' underneath a baseball hat".

A psychiatric social worker was later dispatched to Medvec's residence along with police on October 17. Police said they saw two semi-automatic rifles in his possession and noticed that he carried a pistol on his hip.

Concerns were raised further when Medvec made a comment about going into the house to "start shooting" during the visit, the court papers indicated.

Following his arrest, a magistrate released Medvec on a $4,000 bond after ordering him to give up his firearms.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation, praised the hate crime indictment as an indication that "law enforcement authorities are taking the alleged bias motive seriously".

Hate crimes against Muslims, as well as those thoght to be Muslim, have seemingly risen in recent years in the US.

In August, a mosque in the US state of Minnesota was bombed as worshippers inside prepared for morning prayers.