NEW YORK — A man accused of planning to firebomb the home of Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani was arrested after a weekslong undercover operation by the New York City Police Department, officials said Friday.
Federal authorities identified the suspect as 26-year-old Alexander Heifler. He was arrested Thursday at his Hoboken, New Jersey, home as he was assembling Molotov cocktails he allegedly intended to throw at Kiswani’s residence, according to a criminal complaint. An undercover NYPD detective had infiltrated a group chat used by Heifler and communicated with him for weeks, a police spokesperson said.
Kiswani, 31, who leads New York protests against Israel and the Gaza war through the group Within Our Lifetime, said she was notified late Thursday that law enforcement had disrupted “a threat on my life that was about to take place.” She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and infant son and said the plot would not deter her activism.
An official briefed on the investigation said Heifler identified as a member of JDL 613 Brotherhood, a New Jersey-based group founded in 2024 that describes its members as “Jewish warriors.” A group website cites inspiration from the original Jewish Defense League, which was linked to bombings and attempted assassinations of Arab American activists in the 1970s and 1980s. A request for comment to JDL 613 was not returned.
According to the FBI agent’s court filing, Heifler spoke in February on a video call with a group that included the undercover detective about training for “self-defense” and wanting a place to practice throwing Molotov cocktails. The next day he met the detective in person and discussed using the devices against Kiswani and fleeing the country. He allegedly told the undercover, “We have (Kiswani’s) address,” and the two drove to her residence on March 4 to “conduct surveillance.” He reportedly discussed making a dozen Molotovs to target her home and two cars parked outside.
On Thursday, the undercover met Heifler at his Hoboken residence, where materials for Molotov cocktails — including a large bottle of Everclear, a highly flammable alcohol — were assembled, the complaint says. Law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered eight Molotov devices.
Heifler was charged in a criminal complaint with making and possessing destructive devices, counts that each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He made an initial appearance in New Jersey federal court Friday; a message left with his attorney was not returned.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement, “Let me be clear: We will not tolerate violent extremism in our city. No one should face violence for their political beliefs or their advocacy. I am relieved that Nerdeen is safe.” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted the operation was an example of intelligence and counterterrorism work designed to detect and prevent violence.
The NYPD’s Racially and Ethnically Motivated Extremism unit within the counterterrorism bureau carried out the undercover operation.
Kiswani co-founded Within Our Lifetime, which organizes frequent and often large protests against Israel that sometimes end in arrests. The group’s calls to “abolish Zionism” and its stated support for “all forms of struggle, including violence” have drawn sharp criticism; Kiswani rejects charges that her criticism of Israel is antisemitic. She has been the target of online attacks, and earlier this year Florida Rep. Randy Fine drew backlash for a social media post attacking her. Kiswani said public officials and Zionist organizations that stoke hatred against Palestinians contribute to threats like the one thwarted this week.