IG News Updates,
A man has been accused of using Twitter to threaten to kill Jewish officials in Michigan state government.
No names were listed in a criminal complaint against Jack Carpenter III of Tipton, Michigan, but Attorney General Dana Nessel said on Twitter Thursday that he was a target.
The FBI said Carpenter was in Texas when he tweeted the threats on February 17.
He also declared a new country – “New Israel” – around his home, according to the criminal complaint.
Carpenter was arrested in Texas on February 21. He appeared in federal court in Detroit on Wednesday on a charge of using interstate communications to make threats and remained in custody until a detention hearing on Friday. Prosecutors want him to be kept incarcerated pending the completion of the case.
“When the defendant was arrested in his vehicle, they found about a half-dozen firearms and ammunition,” said Assistant US Attorney Hank Moon, who added that Carpenter could be on the run if released on bond.
Moon told a judge, “Without going into too much detail, the defendant does not believe that he is subject to the jurisdiction of this court.”
Carpenter asked for a court-appointed attorney but otherwise said little during the court appearance. A message seeking comment from the federal Public Guard office was not immediately returned Thursday.