A man has been charged with using Twitter to threaten to kill Michigan state government officials who are Jewish.
No names were listed in a criminal complaint unsealed against Jack Carpenter III of Tipton, Michigan. But on Thursday, Michigan State Attorney General Dana Nessel said on Twitter that she was a target.
The FBI said Mr Carpenter was in Texas when he tweeted on February 17 that he was returning to Michigan “to carry out the punishment of death to anyone” who is Jewish in Michigan government “if they don’t leave or confess”.
“Because I can Legally do that, right?” he wrote.
Mr Carpenter also declared a new country — “New Israel” — around his home, according to the criminal complaint.
He was arrested in Texas on February 21 and appeared in federal court in Detroit on Wednesday on a charge of using interstate communications to make a threat. He remains in custody until a detention hearing on Friday.
Prosecutors want to keep him locked up while the case is pending.
“When the defendant was arrested in his vehicle, they found approximately a half dozen firearms and ammunition,” said Assistant US Attorney Hank Moon, who added that Mr Carpenter might flee if released on bond.
“Without getting into too much detail, the defendant does not believe he is subject to the jurisdiction of this court,” Mr Moon told a judge.
Mr Carpenter asked for a court-appointed lawyer but otherwise said little during the court appearance.
