Ruba Almaghtheh drives car into building she thought was Jewish as institution, the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge is revealed to be an anti-Israel entity as police brand woman as terrorist.
An Indiana woman has been arrested for allegedly plowing her vehicle into what she thought was a Jewish school over the weekend.
Ruba Almaghtheh, 34, allegedly backed her automobile into a building associated with Black Hebrew Israelites in Indianapolis late Friday night while several adults and children were inside, Fox 59 reported.
The driver conceded targeting the building, which houses the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge, because she was allegedly upset about the coverage of the Israel/Hamas war and decided to attack the building because she was offended by the ‘Hebrew Israelite’ symbol on the building.
Anti-Israel
‘Yes. I did it on purpose,’ Almaghtheh allegedly said following her arrest.
She repeatedly described the building as the ‘Israel school,’ cops said, adding that the driver also made a reference to ‘her people back in Palestine.’
The incident comes amid the current conflict involving Hamas and Israel that saw an initial 1400 civilians killed in Israel on October 7 by Hamas followed up to 10,000 plus mostly civilian deaths in Gaza following ongoing bombing at the hands of Israel.
Ironically, the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge, is a sect of the Black Hebrew Israelites, known for its anti-Israel views according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Black Hebrew Israelites, a fringe group known for proselytizing in crowded urban areas, as a hate group, ‘who preach they and only they are the true Israelites of the Bible and perpetuate the anti-Semitic belief that ‘so-called’ Jews have stolen their identity and ‘birthright.’’
Hate crime?
The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis said Safe Indiana, a Jewish community security program, is working with police to probe the incident.
‘Safety and security for our community is of the utmost importance, and we are more secure and prepared than ever before,’ the federation said in a statement.
‘Although a Jewish facility was not targeted, solely due to ironic misidentification, this is yet another reminder to maintain security protocols, remain vigilant of suspicious activity and to (report promptly) to the appropriate authorities.’
Police called Almaghtheh a ‘terorrist’ and said she was arrested on a preliminary charge of criminal recklessness. It remained unclear if the woman would also face hate crime charges.
Almaghtheh is scheduled to make her initial court appearance on Wednesday.
