Real History and the Jewish Defense League

Posted Friday, January 11, 2002

Alphabetical index (text) Index to the Traditional Enemies of Free Speech

The charges carry maximum penalties of two life terms in prison for each defendant, plus a possible additional 75 years for Rubin and an additional 95 years for Krugel.

Sacramento, California, Thursday, January 10, 2002

LA grand jury indicts JDL members in bomb plan

By LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent

Mr Rubin LOS ANGELES (AP) - The chairman and a member of the Jewish Defense League were indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday on charges of conspiring to bomb the office of an Arab-American congressman and a prominent Los Angeles mosque.

The 24-page indictment alleges that JDL chairman Irv Rubin, 56, and Earl Krugel, 59, recruited another person to actually plant the bombs and that person went to the FBI.

Targets of the planned bombings were King Fahd Mosque in Culver City, Calif., and the field office of Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. The charges carry maximum penalties of two life terms in prison for each defendant, plus a possible additional 75 years for Rubin and an additional 95 years for Krugel.

At first, Rubin planned to bomb the offices of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles, the indictment said, but he later changed his mind. Acting as a "confidential informant," the unidentified recruit, reported to be a longtime JDL member, met with Krugel a dozen times from Oct. 17 to Dec. 11, 2001, and went shopping with Krugel at a hardware store for bomb components which were stored in Krugel's garage, the indictment said. Rubin, who attended some of the meetings, was described as approving the plans and giving directions to the confidential informant.

Authorities have said that the informant was equipped with tape recording equipment and taped his meetings with the pair.

"On or about Oct. 19, 2001, defendants Irving David Rubin and Earl Leslie Krugel met with the confidential informant and discussed plans to carry out bombings of buildings associated with Arab religious or political institutions," the indictment said.

The indictment said that by Dec. 11, when the targets were specified, Rubin had instructed the informant to purchase a certain brand of gunpowder and it was stored in Krugel's garage along with bomb components including fuse material, pipes and endcaps. Rubin and Krugel were arrested the night of Dec. 11 and continue to be held without bail.

"This is a classic case of a government overcharging a crime," said attorney Peter Morris, who represents Rubin. He criticized the language in count two of the indictment which says the defendants conspired to "use a weapon of mass destruction."

"This is a political case in which the government is trying to raise this to the level of the actions of Sept. 11 which is outrageous," Morris said. "It is evident (from the indictment) that Irv Rubin did not develop, create or mastermind the alleged bomb plot," the attorney added.

"The government has blown this completely out of proportion and is acting in a climate of hysteria," said attorney Mark Werksman, who represents Krugel. "This was all talk between Krugel and Rubin and an instigator who was working at the direction of the FBI."

Werksman said the informant's name has not been disclosed to the attorneys. "We think we know who he was. .... He was reporting to and receiving direction from the FBI every step of the way," Werksman said. "Mr. Krugel denies that he ever planed to blow anything up. This was all talk initiated by and propelled by an informant," Werksman said.

The nine-count indictment charged the men with conspiracy, conspiracy to use a destructive device, attempted arson, attempted arson at a U.S. government facility, possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm. Arraignment was set for Jan. 22.