American charged over plot to ‘burn down’ US embassy branch in Tel Aviv

The US government alleges that on May 19 – in the month after he arrived in Israel – Neumeyer wrote on Facebook: "Join me this afternoon in Tel Aviv...We are burning down the US embassy.

"Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv. Death to America. Death to Americans.”

On the same day, Neumeyer also apparently spat on a guard outside the US embassy but was able to flee, while yelling profanities, as the guard sought to detain him. After a guard grabbed him by the backpack, Neumeyer managed to break free and escape, leaving the backpack behind, per the complaint.

"Law enforcement recovered from Neumeyer's backpack several bottles that had been turned into improvised incendiary devices, commonly known as 'Molotov cocktails,’" per the Justice Department. "Authorities confirmed the presence of flammable fluid in the bottles."

The complaint described a guard noticing a "strong odor of 'pure' alcohol emanating from the backpack" and "a bottle with black cloth protruding from its neck."

Neumeyer's social-media accounts allegedly had "threatening posts that, among other things, called for the assassination of President Donald J. Trump," according to the department, which said that law enforcement tracked him to his hotel and arrested him.

Among the screen captures detailed in the criminal complaint are also a threat against billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and a reference to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

"This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans and President Trump's life," stated Pam Bondi, the US attorney general. "The department will not tolerate such violence and will prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law."

"Neumeyer not only made threats against Americans and US diplomatic missions, but also allegedly attempted to carry out those threats by bringing potentially deadly devices to the US embassy in Tel Aviv," added Steven Jensen, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington field office.

"Let his arrest carry an unmistakable message," Jensen went on. "The FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm US citizens and interests abroad."

The charges come after a concerning run of attacks against embassies and diplomats linked to the Jewish State.

Just last week, two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington DC were gunned down by a shooter yelling “free Palestine”, who reportedly told police: “I did it for Gaza.”

Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lichinsky were due to be engaged this week but were murdered as they left an event at the city’s Jewish museum.

Likewise, the Israeli embassy in London has reportedly been the subject of two attempted attacks in recent months.

First, a man was detained while allegedly trying to infiltrate the building with a knife in hand. Then, just weeks later, police announced they had arrested several Iranian nationals on suspicion of terror offences.

It was subsequently reported that the embassy was among the potential targets for the attack the group was allegedly planning.