Indiana

A federal judge sentenced two men to prison for their roles in the 2017 bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Two other defendants have pled guilty to their roles in the bombing.

During the summer of 2017, the defendants joined a terrorist militia group called “The White Rabbits” in Clarence, Illinois. On August 4th and 5th, the group drove a rented truck from Illinois to Minnesota to bomb the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center. The defendants selected the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center to terrorize Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States and should leave the country. On August 5, the group bombed the Islamic Center. At the time of the bombing, several worshipers were gathered in the mosque for morning prayers.

On November 7, 2017, the group also attempted to set fire to the Women’s Health Practice in Champaign, Illinois. They used a sledgehammer to break a window and placed a device in the building to start a fire. The device did not ignite and was found by a Women’s Health Practice employee.

The two men face between 14 and 16 years in prison for their crimes.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/federal-jury-convicts-illinois-man-bombing-dar-al-farooq-islamic-center

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/two-illinois-men-sentenced-prison-their-roles-bombing-dar-al-farooq-islamic-center

An Indiana man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to making racially motivated threats to intimidate and interfere with his neighbor, who is Black, in violation of the Fair Housing Act, and for unlawfully possessing firearms.

After learning about the neighbor’s plans to remove a tree from the neighbor’s property, the defendant took several steps to threaten, intimidate, and interfere with his neighbor and the construction. This included placing and burning a cross on the fence line facing his neighbor’s property; displaying a swastika facing his neighbor’s property; displaying a large sign containing a variety of anti-Black racial slurs and a machete next to the swastika; loudly playing the song “Dixie” on repeat; and throwing eggs at his neighbor’s house.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-sentenced-46-months-prison-making-racially-motivated-threats-toward-black

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-pleads-guilty-hate-crime-making-racially-charged-motivated-threats-toward-Black

An Indiana man has pled guilty to making threats to intimidate his Black neighbor, and interfere with their right to fair housing, because of the neighbor’s race. When the defendant learned about his neighbor’s plans to remove a tree from the neighbor’s property, he placed and burned a cross facing the neighbor’s property along the fence line. He also displayed a large sign with anti-Black racial slurs and a swastika next to a machete, loudly played the song “Dixie” on repeat, and threw eggs at his neighbor’s house.

His sentencing date has not been set at this time. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the charged offenses.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-pleads-guilty-hate-crime-making-racially-charged-motivated-threats-toward-Black

An Indiana man has been charged in federal court for making intimidating threats to his African-American neighbor, as well as for unlawfully possessing firearms.

After noticing a construction crew working to remove a tree from his neighbor’s property, he began to intimidate his neighbor and the construction workers. Specifically, he placed and burned a cross above the fence line facing his neighbor’s property; created and displayed a swastika on the outer side of his fence, facing his neighbor’s property; created and displayed a large sign containing a variety of anti-Black racial slurs next to the swastika; visibly displayed a machete near the sign with the racial slurs; loudly played the song “Dixie” on repeat; and threw eggs at his neighbor’s house.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges carry a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the three offenses.

Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-charged-hate-crime-making-racially-motivated-threats-towards-black-neighbor-and