Fiery assassination plot against prominent Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani foiled by NYPD intel, FBI

A New Jersey man’s assassination plot to firebomb a prominent Palestinian activist’s home with Molotov cocktails was dramatically foiled Thursday after a months-long NYPD intelligence bureau probe, officials and sources said. Federal agents raided Alexander Heifler’s home in Hoboken on Thursday after he allegedly schemed to attack Nerdeen Kiswani — the founder of the pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime — and flee to Israel, sources said. Heifler, 26, who had ties to an offshoot of a violent Jewish extremist group, had revealed the bomb plot to an undercover officer with the NYPD’s intelligence and counterterrorism bureau, the sources said. The officer’s work, along with an overseas liaison, had also averted a secondary plot in Europe for a vehicle to ram a target, according to the sources. Kiswani, in an X post reacting to the plot, excoriated Zionist organizations and anti-Muslim politicians such as US Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.), a congressman who recently drew criticism for suggesting he would choose dogs over Muslims. “Late last night the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force informed me that a plot against my life that was ‘about to”’ take place, and that agents had conducted an operation in Hoboken related to this plot,'” she wrote. “I will have more to say as additional details come to light. I will not stop speaking up for the people of Palestine.” Heifler was arrested and faces charges of unlawful making and possession of firearms, for which he was scheduled to appear in New Jersey federal court, documents state. The probe began when the NYPD undercover officer joined a Feb. 10 video call with Heifler and several other people, court papers state. Heifler told the group he was looking for space to throw “Molotovs,” leading the undercoverofficer to begin a correspondence over an encrypted messaging app, the documents allege. The undercoverofficer met Heifler in person the next day, wherewhen he allegedly dished about making Molotov cocktails and targeting Kiswani — who is listed in court documents as “Victim-1.” “Heifler also told the (undercover officer) that he had an escape plan, referring to a plan to leave the country at the end of April,” the papers state. The pair met again in early March, when they drove to Kiswani’s home to conduct surveillance. Heifler told the officer that he had not only made a Molotov cocktail before, but he also tested the homemade weapon with a DNA kit and found hadit bore traces of his genetic material, so they’d need to wear gloves, the documents state. “Heifler and the (undercover officer) then discussed their plan to build approximately 12 Molotov cocktails,” the papers state. “Heifler also planned exactly where to throw the Molotov cocktails at the Victim-1 Residence, and suggested throwing several Molotov cocktails at the Victim-1 Residence and two Molotov cocktails at cars parked outside the Victim-1 Residence.” Heifler messaged the undercoverofficer again Monday, telling the cop that Thursday “would be best to bake,” as in make Molotov cocktails, the documents state. On Thursday, the undercover officer went to Heifler’s home and helped assemble Molotov cocktails, in part by using Everclear — a liquor with a high alcohol content, according to the documents. FBI agents raided Heifler’s home afterward, recovered all eight cocktails and concluded they could be used as destructive devices, the documents state. “Our undercover officer identified and tracked the threat — first online and then in person — allowing us to disrupt the planned attack, take Heifler into custody, and ensure that no one was harmed,” said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “This is exactly how our intelligence and counterterrorism operation is designed to work — a sophisticated apparatus built to detect danger early and prevent violence before it reaches our streets.” Kiswani, a CUNY Law School grad, had organized several controversial anti-Israel protests in the Big Apple. The Anti Defamation League has taken accused her of spreading “antisemitic tropes” and expressing “extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric.”