Iranian-backed groups and pro-Hamas Islamists celebrated the horrific murder of two Israeli embassy staff at a D.C. Jewish museum on Wednesday, hailing it as “a moment of courage” and a “heroic attack” against “the Zionist entity.”
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were exiting an event for young Jewish professionals, where they were shot at close range by 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, who is now in custody.
The suspected attacker is reportedly not Muslim, but carried out the attack in support of Hamas, reportedly yelling “Free, free Palestine,” while shooting at the couple.
“I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” Rodriguez told police after the shooting, according to an FBI affidavit.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports that the pro-Hamas Gaza Now media outlet glorified Rodriguez on Telegram, claiming that “in a moment of courage, he decided to make his voice heard and boldly confront the killers.”
“He opened fire, killing an Israeli employee, and stood defiantly, handcuffed, to raise the banner of justice in the face of injustice,” the group said.
The Iranian-backed Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, a terrorist organization separate from Hamas that has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks against Israel, said in a statement that the attack reflected “growing global anger” toward Israel for its supposed “barbaric crimes” in Gaza and declared that Israel’s “ongoing impunity” is a “threat to international stability and peace,” MEMRI reported.
Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships
A Telegram channel called “Unit 10000,” affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq, shared a video showing the arrest of the suspect and praised the shooting as a “heroic attack” against “the Zionist entity.”
Syrian jihadi cleric Abu Yahya Al-Shami published a post on Telegram praising the shooter and urging Muslims to follow his example.
The cleric expressed fury at Muslim “indolence” in waging jihad, indignant that “infidels” such as Rodriguez are murdering Israelis while Muslims remain “inactive.”
Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as a domestic terrorism incident with possible international connections.
Rodriguez is being charged with murder of foreign officials, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of first-degree murder, according to an FBI affidavit.
The FBI is currently investigating Rodriguez’s online activities and potential ties to extremist groups, though initial reports suggest he was radicalized primarily through social media content related to the Gaza conflict.
The suspect had no prior criminal record, but had reportedly become increasingly vocal about pro-Palestinian causes on various social media platforms in recent months.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on X, “The FBI is aware of certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect, and we hope to have updates as to the authenticity very soon.”
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro clarified that domestic terrorism charges could likely be added to Rodriguez’s case following the conclusion of the FBI investigation into the suspect.
“Violence against anyone based on their religion is an act of cowardice. It is not the act of a hero. It is the kind of case that we will vigorously pursue,” Pirro said at a Thursday press conference. “Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital. We are going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and a crime of terrorism and we will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.”
[#item_full_content]
[[{“value”:”
Iranian-backed groups and pro-Hamas Islamists celebrated the horrific murder of two Israeli embassy staff at a D.C. Jewish museum on Wednesday, hailing it as “a moment of courage” and a “heroic attack” against “the Zionist entity.”
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were exiting an event for young Jewish professionals, where they were shot at close range by 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, who is now in custody.
The suspected attacker is reportedly not Muslim, but carried out the attack in support of Hamas, reportedly yelling “Free, free Palestine,” while shooting at the couple.
“I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” Rodriguez told police after the shooting, according to an FBI affidavit.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) reports that the pro-Hamas Gaza Now media outlet glorified Rodriguez on Telegram, claiming that “in a moment of courage, he decided to make his voice heard and boldly confront the killers.”
“He opened fire, killing an Israeli employee, and stood defiantly, handcuffed, to raise the banner of justice in the face of injustice,” the group said.
The Iranian-backed Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, a terrorist organization separate from Hamas that has claimed responsibility for rocket attacks against Israel, said in a statement that the attack reflected “growing global anger” toward Israel for its supposed “barbaric crimes” in Gaza and declared that Israel’s “ongoing impunity” is a “threat to international stability and peace,” MEMRI reported.
Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships
A Telegram channel called “Unit 10000,” affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq, shared a video showing the arrest of the suspect and praised the shooting as a “heroic attack” against “the Zionist entity.”
Syrian jihadi cleric Abu Yahya Al-Shami published a post on Telegram praising the shooter and urging Muslims to follow his example.
The cleric expressed fury at Muslim “indolence” in waging jihad, indignant that “infidels” such as Rodriguez are murdering Israelis while Muslims remain “inactive.”
Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as a domestic terrorism incident with possible international connections.
Rodriguez is being charged with murder of foreign officials, causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of first-degree murder, according to an FBI affidavit.
The FBI is currently investigating Rodriguez’s online activities and potential ties to extremist groups, though initial reports suggest he was radicalized primarily through social media content related to the Gaza conflict.
The suspect had no prior criminal record, but had reportedly become increasingly vocal about pro-Palestinian causes on various social media platforms in recent months.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on X, “The FBI is aware of certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect, and we hope to have updates as to the authenticity very soon.”
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Washington Jeanine Pirro clarified that domestic terrorism charges could likely be added to Rodriguez’s case following the conclusion of the FBI investigation into the suspect.
“Violence against anyone based on their religion is an act of cowardice. It is not the act of a hero. It is the kind of case that we will vigorously pursue,” Pirro said at a Thursday press conference. “Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital. We are going to continue to investigate this as a hate crime and a crime of terrorism and we will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.”
“}]]
