Police – NBC 6 South Florida

A man is facing charges after police said he threatened to bomb a Miami Beach Jewish school and synagogue, telling a security guard “I am Hamas.”

Alier Ojeda Salas, 42 was arrested on charges including threatening to place a destructive device, disturbing a school or religious assembly, assault with prejudice and harassing or intimidating based on religion, an arrest report said.

Miami-Dade Corrections

According to the report, the alleged incident happened Tuesday morning when Ojeda Salas approached the security guard in the area of the 700 block of W. 40th Street.

The guard was wearing a yarmulke, a traditional head covering for people of the Jewish faith, the report said.

Ojeda Salas told the guard he belonged to Hamas and had C4 explosives, and pointed to a plastic bag he was holding, the report said.

When the guard asked Ojeda Salas to repeat himself, he once again said “I am Hamas,” and repeated that he had C4, the report said.

The guard alerted the nearby school and the synagogue and students were moved to a safe space while the school was locked down, the report said.

Ojeda Salas fled the scene but was followed by the guard and later taken into custody, the report said.

No explosives were found on him, authorities said.

The report said Ojeda Salas “intentionally harassed and intimidated [the guard] due to his Jewish heritage and attire.”

Ojeda Salas was booked into jail. He was appointed a public defender during an appearance in bond court Wednesday.