A Clifton man has been arrested in what authorities are calling the "attempted firebombing" of a Bloomfield synagogue, marking the latest incident in recurring attacks and threats against Jewish houses of worship, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
Working from surveillance video of a man in a dark-colored hoodie lobbing a lit molotov cocktail against the façade of Temple Ner Tamid at 3:19 a.m. on Sunday morning, authorities checked license plate readers that identified the vehicle of Nicholas Malindretos, 26, of Clifton, the DOJ said Wednesday.
While executing a search warrant for Malindretos' vehicle, authorities discovered materials they described as "consistent with the video," and observed a man matching his description entering a nearby building on surveillance footage.
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Malindretos has been charged with attempted use of fire to damage and destroy a building, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
He will make his first appearance in federal court Thursday.
Check back for more on this developing story.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bloomfield NJ synagogue attack: Clifton man arrested
