A Utah man is charged with threatening a Palestinian rights group as tensions rise from Israel-Hamas war

A 62-year-old Utah man, Kevin Brent Buchanan, has been charged with making threatening calls to a Palestinian rights organization in Washington. Prosecutors allege that Buchanan left threatening and profanity-laced messages for the unidentified group at least five times over three days. The organization reported the messages, and FBI agents were able to track the phone number to Tooele, Utah, linking it to Buchanan through purchase records.

Buchanan’s wife, Stefanie Buchanan, expressed shock at the allegations, stating that her husband had been working long hours and under stress as her caretaker before his arrest. The threats occurred during the devastating war between Israel and Hamas, which has led to increased tensions in the U.S. Threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab American communities have also increased since the beginning of the war.

The FBI has been increasingly concerned about potential attacks by individuals or small groups in light of the ongoing conflict. Buchanan has been charged with making an interstate threat, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case reflects the heightened tensions and increased threats facing Palestinian and Arab American communities in the U.S. as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Such threats have historically increased during times of conflict in the region, highlighting the need for vigilance and action to protect vulnerable communities.