HACKENSACK, NJ (TIP): Aakash Dalal, an Indian-American youth in New Jersey was sentenced July 28, to 35 years in prison on terrorism charges for firebombing synagogues along with his friend Anthony Graziano. The two were convicted last year of spray-painting anti-Semitic graffiti at synagogues in Maywood and Hackensack, attempting to burn down synagogues in Paramus and Rutherford and throwing Molotov cocktails into a rabbi’s home in Rutherford.
Graziano and Dalal were charged on a 30-count indictment in 2013 with arson and bias-related incidents that occurred from Dec. 11, 2011 to Jan. 11, 2012 in Paramus, Rutherford, Maywood and Hackensack.
The indictment included nine charges for the attempted murder of Rabbi Neil Schuman and his family and the associated firebombing of Temple Beth El Synagogue in Rutherford.
The men were also charged with the Jan. 3, 2012 firebombing of Temple K’Hal Adath Jushrun in Paramus and the attempted arson of Jewish Community Center in Paramus on Jan. 7, 2012. The bias intimidation offenses related to Temple Beth Israel in Maywood and Temple Beth El in Hackensack.
Dalal, a former student at Rutgers University, was arrested in March 2012. Dalal, who authorities said of the brainchild behind the firebombings, was convicted of terrorism in November last year. Dalal showed Anthony Graziano how to make the molotov cocktails used in the firebombings. They have known each other since middle school.