Federal authorities have apprehended a 26-year-old New Jersey man for allegedly orchestrating a violent attack against prominent pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani. Alexander Heifler was taken into custody and charged with unlawful possession and manufacturing of destructive devices after law enforcement discovered eight Molotov cocktails at his Hoboken residence.
The investigation revealed that Heifler had been planning the attack since early February, when he participated in a video call with a self-defense group that included an undercover law enforcement officer. During the conversation, Heifler allegedly inquired about locations to throw incendiary devices and discussed plans to vandalize Kiswani’s home.
According to court documents, Heifler met with the undercover agent on March 4th to conduct surveillance of Kiswani’s residence after obtaining her address. He reportedly stated that Molotov cocktails were simple to manufacture and had developed an escape plan to leave the country following the attack.
The plot culminated on March 26th when Heifler met the agent near Kiswani’s home while carrying a large bottle of alcohol and materials for assembling multiple Molotov cocktails. The charging document indicates he intended to target both vehicles and Kiswani’s residence directly with the incendiary devices.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the NYPD investigation uncovered Heifler’s alleged plot, noting that authorities believe he was acting alone without connections to overseas terrorist organizations or foreign governments. Heifler has been described as an extremist with no prior criminal record with the NYPD.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani identified Heifler as an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League, an organization designated by the FBI as a known violent extremist group. Mamdani characterized the incident as ‘a chilling act of political violence and an apparent assassination plot.’
Kiswani, co-founder of the pro-Palestinian organization Within Our Lifetime, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. She has previously alleged that far-right groups have engaged in ‘a sustained campaign of stalking, harassment, intimidation, and civil rights violations’ against her and fellow activists.