Alexandria, VA – A former Jewish man from New Jersey was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Friday for posting violent and threatening posts on his Islamic group’s Web site intended to incite violence against those who he believed were offensive to his Islamic beliefs.
As reported by the Washington Post Yousef al-Khattab, 45, was sentenced in federal court in Alexandria and renounced his posts on Revolution Muslim’s site, calling himself a “clown” and the “Gilbert Gottfried of the Muslims.” Al-Khattab said he did not intend to incite violence through his posts, but Judge Liam O’Grady didn’t believe that al-Khattab’s posts were intended only start a discussion.
Al-Khattab was born Joseph Leonard Cohen and was raised in New Jersey and Brooklyn in an Orthodox Jewish home.
According to court records, in 2009, al-Khattab posted a picture of the Chabad Jewish headquarters in Brooklyn, along with a link to a map showing readers who to get there, and said that the main temple was usually full of people during prayer time. Later that year another post told readers to target leaders of U.S. Jewish organizations and “deal with them directly in their homes.”
Khattab had previously pled guilty to using the Internet to put another in fear of death or injury.
Prosecutors also brought up the connection authorities discovered between al-Khattab’s organization other terrorists, including Colleen LaRose, aka JihadJane, and Samir Khan, who allegedly founded the al-Qaeda magazine “Inspire.”
Al-Khattab declined to comment after the hearing.
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Does he not have a bunch of kids being raised Muslim? Where are they now?
You are right! There’s no such thing as “former” Jew!
No matter where you may roam you can always come back home!
ITS NOT LONG ENOUGH. THE PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE TO RE-EVALUATE HIM TO SEE WHERE HE’S AT WHEN THEY WANT TO MAKE PAROLE. HE IS NOT STABLE, it sounds like its not long enough.
He’s still Jewish, not a former Jew. This is the reality. He can still do tshuva
BS”D There is no need for Rachmonis on a person of his ilk
Sentence seems extremely light. And Rubashkin gets 27 years-makes sense
Now Aleph will quick in and give the person some help!
Perhaps with all the extra time he’ll have he’ll begin to realize his mistake and do teshuva bez”h
COLLive, thanks for the article.
By the way Mr. Cohen is not an ‘extremest’ for this might be a ‘zealot.’ This could be wholesome, like ‘Pinchus.’ Mr. Cohen is a ‘fanatic.’
Miriam Webster ‘Extremist’ 1
: the quality or state of being extreme
2
: advocacy of extreme measures or views : radicalism
MIRIAM WEBSTER: ‘FANATIC’ : : marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion
this is called external impact of whatever caused him to become like this.. revenge its not real though but its dangerous and thats why he needs to be locked up until he shapes up
Visit him in prison. Show him the light of Chasidus.
The Walls of 770 would trip this fool up…700 is so holy that no
force of evil could ever harm it
This whole Joseph Cohen story is a scary one and one that is a real wake up call. Im just not sure of his story though. things dont add up.
We should make a M’Shebeirach for his complete return from this insane journey.His Poor Soul must be in excruciating pain.