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Utah man pleads guilty to making threats against Palestinian group’s staff

Kevin Buchanan, who left voice messages saying that Muslims “don’t even belong in America,” faces up to five years in prison.

Gavel, Court
Gavel. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels.

A Utah man pleaded guilty to threatening a Palestinian rights organization in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia stated on Monday.

Kevin Buchanan of Toole, Utah, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for leaving five phone messages for employees of the organization between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, 2023, in which he said that “your families are going to be followed and watched” and that they were “traitors” and were all going to die.

He also said in the messages that “you don’t even belong in America” and that he hopes that every Muslim in the United States “croaks.”

“Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians,” the U.S. Justice Department stated.

Buchanan, who was arrested on Nov. 20, 2023, is slated to be sentenced on Nov. 18.

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“There is no ongoing threat,” the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington stated of the incident at Washington Hebrew Congregation.