Authorities have dismantled a chilling plot to commit a mass-casualty attack on Houston’s Congregation Beth Israel, arresting an 18-year-old North Carolina woman and a 16-year-old Houston boy. Investigators say the pair planned to “kill as many Jews as possible” by driving a vehicle into the congregation.
Angelina Han Hicks was arrested Thursday in Lexington, NC, after the FBI uncovered evidence of the scheme in her home.
She is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is held on a $10 million bond. Simultaneously, Houston police and the FBI arrested the unidentified 16-year-old, charging him with conspiracy to commit capital murder.
“This is an exceptional example of when you see something concerning, you say something to law enforcement,” the FBI stated.
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The threat forced the synagogue and the Shlenker School to shutter early Wednesday. While the community was guarded, local celebrations for Israel’s 78th anniversary continued under heavy police guard.
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones expressed horror at the plot, noting that while the attack was disrupted, the prevalence of such antisemitism is “profoundly unsettling.”
Synagogue leaders confirmed they are working closely with federal agents to ensure ongoing security.
“We acted quickly and out of an abundance of caution,” school officials told parents as the campus reopened Thursday. The investigation remains active and fluid.
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