At A Glance | May 16

Oregon Man Faces Arson, Bias Crimes Charges for Synagogues, Mosque Attacks

On May 9, an Oregon court arraigned a resident on 10 counts for allegedly setting fire to a mosque and vandalizing a synagogue and Jewish community center. Charges against Michael E. Bivins (pictured), 34, include five counts of committing a second-degree bias crime, four counts of criminal mischief and one count of first-degree arson. According to Multnomah County prosecutors, Bivins allegedly targeted houses of worship because he was motivated by prejudice. Bivins used accelerant to set fire to the Muslim Community Center of Portland May 3 while it was occupied, according to local authorities. The former freelance journalist also spray-painted graffiti and smashed a window in the library of Congregation Beth Israel May 2 and May 4 and broke a window at Congregation Shir Tikvah April 30. The judge set bail at $45,000 and ordered Bivins to stay at least 150 feet away from the three religious facilities.

Pro-Choice Group Claiming Responsibility for Wisconsin Anti-Abortion Office Arson Attack

A pro-choice group calling itself "Jane's Revenge" is claiming responsibility for a reported arson attack carried out May 8 at the Wisconsin Family Action headquarters in Madison. While investigators are looking into the veracity of the claim, they have confirmed that the attack took place in the morning when an unknown person or persons threw a Molotov cocktail through a window, starting a small fire, and vandalized the exterior of the building with the words, "If abortions aren't safe, then you aren't either." In a statement to a local newspaper, Jane's Revenge demanded that similar institutions across the U.S. disband or face "increasingly extreme tactics." This attack comes after reports of vandalism at two Catholic churches in Colorado the week prior and a separate Molotov cocktail attack at an anti-abortion organization in Salem, Oregon, May 8. The attacks appear to be a response to the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion nationwide.

United States Sanctions 5 ISIS Financial Facilitators

The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned five ISIS financial facilitators who were operating across Indonesia, Syria and Turkey. According to the department's May 9 press release, the five designated individuals, Dwi Dahlia Susanti, Rudi Heryadi, Ari Kardian, Muhammad Dandi Adhiguna and Dini Ramadhani, played key roles in facilitating travel by extremists from ISIS operational areas to Syria. They also conducted financial transfers to support ISIS recruiting efforts in Syria-based displaced persons camps by collecting funds in Indonesia and Turkey. The terrorist organization used some of the money to smuggle children out of the camps and deliver them to ISIS foreign fighters as potential recruits. As a result of the sanctions, the financial facilitators' U.S.-based properties and assets are currently frozen and Americans are barred from engaging in financial transactions with the listed parties. For more information regarding the specific allegations against each individuals and their identification information, visit the Department of the Treasury's website.

For more information, please contact NJOHSP's Intelligence Management Bureau at [email protected] or 609-584-4000.