New details have emerged about the arrest of the two men who planned to carry out attacks on New York City synagogues.
Christopher Brown, 21, was recently arrested along with alleged co-conspirator Matthew Mahrer, 22, for their plans to attack members of New York’s Jewish community.
The couple were in possession of a gun, a “high-capacity” magazine, ammunition, a “military-style” knife and Nazi memorabilia at the time of their arrest, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Court documents revealed that Brown allegedly told investigators that he runs a white supremacist group online and possesses Nazi paraphernalia because he thinks it “is really cool.”
Christopher Brown, 21, was in court on Sunday after being arrested for planning attacks on New York synagogues.
Investigators said Brown and co-conspirator Matthew Mahrer had purchased a 9mm Glock in Pennsylvania for $650.
Brown allegedly told investigators that he is “sick” and runs a white supremacist group on Twitter.
The couple had met outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday before they were finally apprehended with the weapon, a 9mm Glock, which they had allegedly purchased for $650 in Pennsylvania.
Assistant District Attorney Emilio Hernandez said Mahrer and Brown had even traveled to Pennsylvania together for the sale and “intended to use it in a synagogue attack.”
The FBI-NYPD task force first became aware of the threats to the Jewish community Friday night and “moved quickly to gather information, identify those behind it, and operationally neutralize their ability.” to do harm,” New York Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a statement.
In a criminal complaint obtained by the New York PostBrown allegedly told police he has “a sick personality” when pressed about the attacks and the gun.
“I was going to be a coward and blow my brains out,” Brown allegedly told police after his arrest.
Brown had previously posted a message on his social media page on Thursday, reportedly saying: “I’m going to ask a priest if I should become a husband or shoot up a synagogue and die.”
The 21-year-old also told police that Mahrer was ‘a supporter’ of his.
This is the poster the FBI posted of Brown, asking for the public’s help in finding the man who has a ‘history of mental illness’
‘It took me three years to finally buy the gun. Matt is one of my followers. I have Nazi paraphernalia in my house. I think he’s really cool,” Brown allegedly told police, according to the complaint.
“I also operate a white supremacist group on Twitter,” Brown said.
The man had appeared on police radar after sending out threatening and alarming tweets, including an alleged post saying he was making “big moves on Friday”.
Police say she later posted on her social media account: “This time I’ll really do it.”
Brown has been arraigned on charges related to making a terrorist threat and possession of weapons.
The defendant also reportedly posted a video of himself saying he was going to “brutally murder people with axes and whatnot.”
Inside the apartment of Mahrer’s parents, with whom he lived, police found a gun and a bulletproof vest after their arrests.
“The hateful anti-Semitic attacks on synagogues are deplorable,” Bragg said. “The Manhattan District Attorney’s office will now pursue accountability and justice in this case with the full resources of our anti-terrorism issue and newly enhanced and expanded hate crimes unit.”
In addition to the charges related to making a terrorist threat, Brown has been charged with six counts of possession of weapons. He is being held without bail.
Matthew Mahrer, 22, has been charged with criminal possession of a weapon and is being held on $150,000 bond.
Mahrer was ordered to be held on $150,000 bond.
During his arraignment on Saturday, his attorney Brandon Freycint said the 22-year-old has aautism, bipolar disorder, anxiety and ADHD, according to a plug.
Mahrer’s lawyer also said the man is “of Jewish heritage” and that his own grandfather is a Holocaust survivor.
My client is of Jewish descent. He lives with his parents and his grandfather is actually a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor, and my client is his part-time caregiver,” Freycinet said in court.
The lawyer argued that, based on his heritage, Mahrer should not face possible charges related to a hate crime.
Mahrer’s lawyer claims he has autism, bipolar disorder, anxiety and ADHD
Freycinet said that Mahrer had spent time in homeless shelters before moving back to his parents’ Upper West Side home a year ago and that he had no criminal record.
Mahrer’s parents were present at his arraignment Saturday and claimed he is not who they know their son to be.
“He’s not what they say he is,” Mahrer’s mother said. The charge outside a Manhattan courtroom on Saturday.
He is expected to return to court on Wednesday for his next hearing.
Police were seen stationed outside a synagogue in 2021 amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks.
In 2021, the Anti-Defamation League found more than 2,700 incidents of anti-Semitic behavior across the country.
That number marked a staggering 34 percent jump from 2020.
In an interview with pbs Earlier this year, Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League, said it’s a worrying statistic.
‘This is the highest total we’ve tracked in over 40 years of doing this work. And we must keep in mind that anti-Semitic acts were on the decline in the United States for nearly 15 years, and then in 2016, they began to rise.
“And now we’re at the point where we have nearly triple the number of incidents today that we did in 2015.”