DC Jewish Museum terror suspect Elias Rodriguez arraigned in federal court docket
WASHINGTON — The feds have a mountain of proof in opposition to alleged homegrown terrorist Elias Rodriguez, who’s charged with gunning down a pair of younger Israeli diplomats outdoors the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC in Might, prosecutors revealed.
Rodriguez, 31, appeared in DC federal court docket on Thursday for a 10-minute listening to whereas carrying an orange jumpsuit, glasses and sporting a beard — simply three blocks from the place the cold-blooded killings happened.
He pleaded not responsible to homicide and hate crime costs.
Choose Randolph Moss stated Rodriguez’ case could be designated “advanced” as a result of “large” quantity of proof within the case — which included 1.5 million paperwork, 450 MB of knowledge and one other 106MB of knowledge from an iPhone, based on prosecutors.
The accused killer solely spoke to say “Sure” and “No, your honor” to reply the decide’s questions as he was learn his rights.
The Chicago native — whose vicious antisemitism was solid within the crucible of far-left politics — shouted “Free, free Palestine” after witnesses and prosecutors say he executed Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and Sarah Milgrim, 26 with almost two-dozen photographs on Might 21.
The two lovers, who had been about to get engaged, had been killed as they left the American Jewish Committee’s ACCESS Younger Diplomats Reception within the coronary heart of DC round 9 p.m., the place they mentioned concepts for bringing extra assist into Gaza.
Rodriguez had flown to DC from Chicago with a handgun in his checked baggage and acquired a ticket for the occasion three hours earlier than it began, based on court docket papers.
Because the couple lay helpless on the bottom, Rodriguez allegedly positioned himself over them and continued firing.
He adopted Milgrim as she tried to crawl away and reloaded his 9-mm pistol and shot her once more as she desperately tried to flee, charging paperwork alleged.
He then dropped the weapon and bumped into the museum, the place bystanders who thought he was a distraught witness to the assaults rushed to supply him consolation and help.
“He was soaking moist. He was carrying a swimsuit, glasses, brownish-black hair. He was just about in a state of shock. He sat by himself. He was pacing,” Yoni Kalin, 31, a witness contained in the occasion, informed The Submit.
However when police arrived, witnesses stated Rodriguez produced a keffiyeh scarf from his bag and defiantly proclaimed, “I did this. I did this for Gaza. Free, free Palestine. From the river to the ocean and there’s just one answer, intifada revolution” as he was cuffed and brought into custody.
Rodriguez was well-known to Chicago legislation enforcement as a left-wing rabble-rouser, attending numerous protests relationship again years, sources informed The Submit on the time of the killings.
He had ties to Celebration for Socialism and Liberation, a radical left-wing group which has organized anti-Israel protests and frequently posts antisemitic rhetoric on social media, together with writing, “Finish the genocide. Israel out of Gaza now” simply hours earlier than the taking pictures.
PSL disavowed any connection to Rodriguez in a social media publish a day after the diplomats had been murdered.
His indictment, which was unsealed final month, consists of discover of particular findings that might enable the Justice Division to doubtlessly pursue the loss of life penalty, regardless of the district abolishing capital punishment in 1981.
