Man pleads guilty in attack on Jewish Pitt student

Ali Alkhaleel, one of six people who physically assaulted and shouted antisemitic slurs at a Jewish University of Pittsburgh students, has pled guilty to conspiracy to obstruct the administration of justice and obstructing the administration of justice. He will be sentenced on Dec. 9.

The Sept. 27, 2024, attack occurred as the student was leaving Phat’s Bar near Semple and Ward Streets in Oakland at approximately 2 a.m. after the men noticed he was wearing a Star of David on a chain. The men shouted, “Free Palestine,” “F— Jews” and other antisemitic remarks before Muhammed Koc, 27, allegedly assaulted the student.

Alkhaleel was present at the time of the assault, but his plea is only related to his attempts to cover up the crime.

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According the Tribune-Review, Alkhaleel was called to appear before a grand jury and testified that he didn’t remember Koc assaulting the victim.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Camerlo told the grand jury that Alkhaleel’s assertions were contradicted by video on the street that captured the exchange. He also said that investigators found messages among the defendants, including Alkhaleel, in which they discussed getting their stories straight.

No sentence has been agreed upon.

Charges remain pending against Alkhaleel’s co-defendents: Koc, Omar Alshmari, Emirhan Arslan, Abraham Choudhry and Adeel Piracha.

A day earlier, Eric Holman of Erie, Pennsylvania was arrested and faces a federal charge of transmitting communications in interstate commerce containing threats to injure another person, after authorities accused him of posting antisemitic threats on social media, including on encouraging armed violence at a synagogue, according to Erie News Now.

The news source cited an FBI affidavit that alleges Holman used an account on X to threaten members of the Jewish community between April and June, including one post where he wrote, “Get a gun, wear black, go to your local synagogue.”

The FBI received a June 10 tip initiating its investigation.

Holman acknowledged the post, and others, in an Aug. 5 interview. Asked by investigators if he might have acted on the threats if he had been near a synagogue with a rifle in the vehicle, the suspect said, “I’m going to be honest, I don’t know,” according to Erie News Now.

In a written statement, Holman apologized for his posts and said he would never act on them.

During the investigation, agents reportedly recovered a firearm, a notebook containing what the FBI characterized as possible end-of-life planning and a cellphone containing a photograph of a swastika.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh said that it was aware of the federal charges.

Shawn Brokos, Federation’s community security director, told the Chronicle that there is no threat against Pittsburgh synagogues and that no specific synagogue was named in the threat.

Federation, Brokos said in a statement, is grateful to the FBI’s Pittsburgh Division and Erie Resident Agency for their investigation and bringing these charges.

“Their commitment to holding perpetrators accountable sends a clear and necessary message: threats targeting people for their Jewish identity will not go unanswered,” Brokos said. “We thank our law enforcement partners for standing with the Jewish community.”

Holman is in custody until an Aug. 11 detention hearing. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org