Man Who Talked About 'Mexican Hitler' Arrested in Synagogue Plot

Authorities say Richard Holzer planned to bomb a Colorado synagogue
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 4, 2019 5:45 PM CST
Man Who Talked About 'Mexican Hitler' Arrested in Synagogue Plot
Stock photo.   (Getty Images / YakobchukOlena)

A 27-year-old Colorado man planned to bomb a synagogue in Pueblo, federal authorities say. Richard Holzer, 27, was arrested Friday after meeting with undercover agents, who brought along pipe bombs and dynamite that Holzer allegedly planned to use at Temple Emanuel, the Denver Post reports. During his conversations with the agents, Holzer allegedly said he had paid a Mexican nicknamed "Mexican Hitler" to poison a local synagogue with arsenic in its water pipes last year. At the Friday meeting, he allegedly came wearing a Nazi armband, per CNN, and brought along a copy of Mein Kampf, a knife, and a mask; called Jews and the synagogue a "cancer"; and said he was preparing for a racial holy war.

He referred to the bombing plan, which he allegedly planned to carry out in the wee hours, as his "mountain," authorities say. He allegedly told an agent he didn't think anyone would be in the building at the time, but that, per the affidavit, "if they were, Holzer would not care because they would be Jews." Holzer, who told an agent he is a skinhead and was previously a member of the KKK, is also accused of spreading violent white supremacist views. He faces charges of domestic terrorism and a hate crime and could spend up to 20 years behind bars if convicted. The Anti-Defamation League had been monitoring Holzer, and reported him to law enforcement in 2016. (More domestic terrorism stories.)

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