NEW YORK — US federal authorities on Friday announced a violent plot targeting Nerdeen Kiswani, one of the leading anti-Israel activists in New York City.
Alexander Heifler, 26, was charged with targeting Kiswani with Molotov cocktails, the US Attorney’s office in New Jersey said.
Kiswani is the head of Within Our Lifetime, a hardline anti-Zionist activist group that organizes disruptive protests around New York City.
The group calls for Israel’s destruction “by any means necessary” and has targeted holiday events, transportation hubs, museums, libraries and hospitals.
Kiswani, as the group’s founder and leader, is likely the most recognizable anti-Israel activist in the city.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
A criminal complaint alleged that Heifler joined a video call last month with a group of individuals, including an undercover officer.
Heifler stated on the call that he was seeking a location where he could throw Molotov cocktails. The undercover officer messaged Heifler, offering to discuss the proposal.
The following day, Heifler and the officer met in person. Heifler discussed vandalizing the victim’s home and using Molotov cocktails against the victim, who was not named in the complaint, but was identified as Kiswani by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Heifler told the officer that he had an “escape plan” to leave the country by the end of April and wanted to carry out the attack shortly beforehand.
“No IDs, no phones… in and out,” he said, according to the complaint.
A protest led by Within Our Lifetime in Manhattan, September 17, 2021. (Luke Tress)
Heifler planned where to throw the firebombs at Kiswani’s residence and at nearby cars, and said he had an address where he could hide out after the attack.
Earlier this week, Heifler told the officer via text message that “Thursday night would be best to bake,” referring to making the firebombs. The two agreed to meet at Heifler’s residence in Hoboken, New Jersey, near New York City.
When the two met on Thursday, Heifler had a bottle of Everclear, a liquor with a high level of alcohol, and other ingredients for Molotov cocktails.
He and the officer assembled eight Molotov cocktails, and shortly after, law enforcement raided the location and recovered the firebombs.
Heifler was charged with one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices and one count of making destructive devices. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
“Zionist organizations like Betar and politicians like Randy Fine have encouraged violence against my family and me,” Kiswani said in a statement. “I will not stop speaking up for the people of Palestine.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the suspect was affiliated with the extremist Jewish Defense League and had planned to flee to Israel.
“Last night, an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League — designated by the FBI as a ‘known violent extremist organization’ — attempted to blow up the home of Nerdeen Kiswani in a chilling act of political violence and an apparent assassination plot. The defendant allegedly planned to flee to Israel following the attack,” Mamdani said.
While Mamdani and Kiswani are both anti-Zionist activists, Kiswani is a frequent critic of the mayor, viewing him as too conciliatory.
Within Our Lifetime regularly holds rallies on New York City streets that often draw hundreds of participants. The group backed the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel, demanding support for “Palestinian resistance in all its forms. By any means necessary.” Kiswani has posted support for Hamas online.
Activists affiliated with the group have been imprisoned for hate crimes against Jews.
Jewish groups condemned the plot.
“While we adamantly disagree with Nerdeen Kiswani’s inflammatory rhetoric and her organization’s tactics, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the reported plot against her,” the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York said in a statement.
Shai Davidai, a prominent Jewish activist in the city, said, “I despise everything that [Kiswani] stands for.”
“At the same time, violence is not the answer. This is completely unacceptable,” he said.
You appreciate our wartime journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting of the Iran war valuable, at a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically during this ongoing conflict.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel