Terror threat puts U.S. Jewish community on alert

[Behind the Aegis]

WASHINGTON - Following a threat this week by Palestinian militants to target "Zionists outside Palestine," a national Jewish community terrorism alert system has been activated to determine whether Jewish institutions should take extra security precautions.

"Our Secure Community Network people have been in touch with law enforcement officials and are on top of" possible implications of the threat, said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. "We are aware of and carefully monitoring it, together with law enforcement authorities, to determine whether any particular actions are warranted."

The Palestinian threat was issued Monday, shortly before a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that left nine people dead and more than 60 wounded. The bombing, Israel's deadliest terrorist incident since August 2004, was attributed to Islamic Jihad, a radical group with links to Iran.

The threat against Jewish groups was issued by a different organization, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, which is affiliated with the Fatah faction of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.


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