Islam convert from Judaism sentenced for encouraging attacks on Jews

Marcy Oster

(JTA) — A New Jersey convert to Islam from Judaism was sentenced to prison for using his website to encourage adherents to attack Jewish leaders and synagogues.

Yousef al-Khattab, who was born Joseph Leonard Cohen, was sentenced last week to 2 1/2 years in prison in federal court in Alexandria, Va., after pleading guilty in October to using his Revolution Muslim site to threaten death or injury.

During the hearing, Khattab renounced his postings, according to the Washington Post, and said he would not post the same messages today.

In 2009, Khattab posted a photo of the headquarters of the Chabad organization in Brooklyn, N.Y., with a link to a map informing readers that the building was full during prayer times. In another post he encouraged readers to seek out and harm leaders of U.S. Jewish organizations.

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