US law enforcement foils plot to assassinate Palestinian American activist

Federal US law enforcement has foiled a plot to assassinate New York-based Palestinian American activist Nerdeen Kiswani.

Kiswani wrote in post on X that late on Thursday, the FBI joint terrorism taskforce informed her that a plot against her life was “about to” take place, and that agents had conducted an operation in Hoboken, New Jersey, in connection to it.

A federal law enforcement official and an attorney for Kiswani told the New York Times that the FBI said one or more people had been arrested in connection to an imminent attempt on her life. They reportedly did not identify the suspects or their motive.

The FBI and Kiswani did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Guardian.

“For months, Zionist organizations like Betar and politicians like Randy Fine have encouraged violence against my family and me,” she added on X. “I will have more to say as additional details come to light. I will not stop speaking up for the people of Palestine. Thank you for your support.”

Kiswani recently sued the far-right pro-Israel group Betar. Eric Lee, an attorney representing Kiswani in the case , did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court last month, Kiswani accused the group of stalking and harassment, including social media “bounties”.

“For years, Betar USA stalked & harassed me even offering $1,800 for someone to hand me a beeper while I was pregnant,” Kiswani wrote on X at the time.

The group recently ceased its New York operations as part of a settlement with Letitia James, the attorney general whose office investigated the group and found that it had engaged in “bias-motivated assaults, threats and harassment targeting Muslim, Arab, Palestinian and Jewish New Yorkers”.

In a social media post commenting on the foiled plot, Betar wrote, “violent terrorist Nerdeen Kiswani wants to globalize the intifada not surprising if other terrorists targeted her”.

Randy Fine, a Republican representative of Florida whom Kiswani also referenced in her post, has made repeated Islamophobic remarks, and has previously singled out Kiswani.

Kiswani, who was born in Jordan and has been living in the US since she was a young child, is the founder of Within Our Lifetime, a pro-Palestine group that’s been behind many New York protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.

The group – and Kiswani herself – have been condemned by some for their rhetoric, including their stated support for armed resistance and the claim that Palestine must be liberated “by any means necessary”.

Pro-Israel groups, including Betar, have frequently called her a “terrorist” or “terror supporter”. She has also at times had heated disagreements with fellow pro-Palestine activists and has repeatedly criticized Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, for positions she views as compromising to the Palestinian cause.

But Kiswani has repeatedly denied allegations of antisemitism, arguing that the group’s focus is the state of Israel, not Jews.

“This is horrifying but not surprising in a political climate where our own president constantly sows division and pushes extremist rhetoric,” said Antonio Reynoso, the Brooklyn borough president, of the foiled plot.

“Political violence has no place in New York,” he added.