Suspect arrested in white powder threats to Jewish groups
Authorities in Colorado have arrested a 32-year-old man on hate crime-related charges for sending white powder envelopes deemed as threats to two Jewish organizations during Passover last month.
Jeffrey Thomas Klinkel, of Boulder, Colo., has been charged with two counts of felony menacing, two counts of interfering with an educational institution and two counts of using a hoax explosive or biological weapon. Following his arrest on Thursday, he also was charged with a failure-to-appear warrant related to a previous criminal case in Erie, Colo., jail records show.
The charges are related to letters containing white powder sent in early April, during Passover, to the Boulder Jewish Community Center and Congregation Har HaShem, a Jewish place of worship in Boulder, authorities say.
The threat letters resulted in the evacuations of a dozen children from the Jewish Center and a response by the Boulder County hazmat team, according to media reports.
The note in the envelope delivered to the Jewish Community Center said: “This Goyim is enjoying the blood of her enemies for Passover,” according to court documents. A similar note accompanied the envelope sent to Congregation Har HaShem.
The white powder in both envelopes was corn starch, the Boulder Daily Camera reported. A forensic examination also turned up Klinkel's fingerprint on both letters, charging documents say.
Investigators searched Klinkel's parents' home, where he sometimes lived, and recovered books covering “multiple religious views and conspiracy theories,” the Colorado Spring Gazette reported. Authorities didn’t immediately return telephone calls Monday from Hatewatch, seeking additional details.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder City Police, U.S. Postal Inspectors and the FBI jointly handled the investigation.
Scott L. Levin, Mountain States Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League, issued a statement commending investigators for their inter-agency cooperation that led to the suspect’s arrest.
“We hope that in the coming days as formal charges are brought against him, that the Boulder District Attorney will also issue bias-motivated charges if they are found to be warranted,” Levin said.
“While we are relieved that no one was harmed, Levin said, the letters “were clearly sent to scare the staff, members and others who may visit these institutions. These incidents serve as a reminder that we must all be vigilant about security.”
