BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Police are investigating after a suspicious package was left outside a Birmingham synagogue. There was a heavy police presence at Temple Beth-El Friday after synagogue security personnel noticed an unattended backpack. The Birmingham bomb squad responded, and in light of the recent wave of anti-semitic hate nationwide, the FBI and ATF were also called in.
Truman Fitzgerald, Birmingham Police Public Information Officer, says, "The Director of Security arrived on the scene and observed what was described to me as a backpack. It was suspicious to him. He immediately contacted the Birmingham police department as well as the FBI. BPD, we sent member[s] of our bomb squad unit to the location, they observed the backpack, it was suspicious to them as well. FBI arrived on the scene, they were in great partnership with us. What has happened since we got on the scene, the device has absolutely been transported away from this location. It is at an offsite location where our bomb squad technicians are going to examine it further."
He added, "Well, I'll tell you an interesting fact that I learned today just from talking to the head of security is he pointed that 60 percent of all religious hate crimes are committed toward the Jewish community. And so with that, that historical data and with everything that's going on nationally, it just make[s] you want to wrap your arms around the Jewish community. For those who know Birmingham know we have a great Jewish presence all throughout our city. So hopefully we at the Birmingham Police Department can do what we can to make that community feel even safer."
