The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today welcomed news of an arrest in connection with a series of bomb threats against Jewish community institutions in the United States and abroad.

As earlier reported on our News Alerts, Israeli police and the FBI arrested an 18-year-old Israeli-American suspect after a months-long undercover investigation, saying the man had used advanced technologies to hide his identity. The suspect holds dual American-Israeli citizenship, according to authorities.

Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:

We are relieved there’s been an arrest in the majority of the bomb threats against JCCs, schools, synagogues and several of our offices across the country. We are deeply grateful to the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the state and local law enforcement officials who made this investigation the highest priority.

While the details of this crime remain unclear, the impact of this individual’s actions is crystal clear: These were acts of anti-Semitism. These threats targeted Jewish institutions, were calculated to sow fear and anxiety, and put the entire Jewish community on high alert.

Even though it appears that the main culprit behind the majority of these attacks has allegedly been identified, anti-Semitism in the U.S. remains a very serious concern. No arrests have been made in three cemetery desecrations or a series of other anti-Semitic incidents involving swastika graffiti and hate fliers. JCCs and other institutions should not relax security measures or become less vigilant.

We appreciate the support of so many community and organizational leaders, both within and outside the Jewish community, who spoke out and condemned these threats. They understood not only how disruptive they were, but also how they traumatized the people affected, especially young children and senior citizens who were evacuated as a result of these threats.