Jewish Defense Forcefulness League

Jewish Defense League

Although it was initially organized to protect Jews inward crime-ridden neighborhoods inward New York City, the Jewish Defense League (JDL) became best known for its occasionally fierce protestation activities directed against Russian anti-Jewish policies in addition to Arab terrorism.

This militant arrangement presently became involved inward an unlikely, fifty-fifty bizarre, political alliance in addition to was also subjected to both U.S. in addition to local authorities surveillance. The 1990 assassination of the founder, Meir Kahane, subsequently raised serious questions almost an Arab conspiracy, fueled past times much novel testify discovered inward the wake of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Paradoxically, about members of the Jewish Defense League—who professed profound occupation organisation for the physical security in addition to welfare of their coreligionists—were implicated inward the 26 Jan 1972 murder of a Jewish secretary, Iris Kones. This tragic killing took house during the firebombing of the New York percentage of Sol Hurok, who promoted cultural exchanges alongside the Soviet Union.

Later, however, about charges were dropped against the JDL members because of illegal constabulary procedures in addition to other problems for the prosecution. Almost all mainstream Jewish organizations considered the JDL a violent, extremist grouping in addition to regularly denounced its leader.


Founded inward the boundary of 1968 past times the charismatic rabbi Meir Kahane in addition to a grouping of politically conservative New York City Jews, the JDL in addition to its activities were regularly featured inward the New York media and, occasionally, the national press.

Indeed, 1 fellow member boasted that the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, George H.W. Bush, complained to Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir that JDL activities were endangering détente alongside the Soviet Union.

Although the JDL was a right-wing organization, both its methods in addition to oft fierce rhetoric seemed to mirror radical leftist groups of the 1960s. Leon Wieseltier, the New Republic literary editor in addition to a JDL fellow member for a brief time, 1 time boasted to his parents that Eldridge Cleaver was making him a meliorate Jew.

Although many journalists in addition to academics bring written numerous articles describing in addition to analyzing the political activities in addition to philosophy of the JDL, relatively fiddling attending has been paid to an odd political alliance that developed during the early on years of the organization.

After Meir Kahane was freed on bail inward Brooklyn Federal Court on 3 May 1971 from an indictment of conspiracy to carry weapons across set down lines, Joseph A. Colombo, Sr., a major Mafia figure, appeared inward a articulation intelligence conference alongside the JDL leader in addition to announced an alliance alongside him. Colombo declared that the rabbi was “fighting for his people inward Russian Federation in addition to we’re fighting for our [Italian] people hither ... if they [the JDL] require our support, nosotros volition hand it”.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 twelvemonth earlier, Colombo in addition to about of his mob associates had formed the New York–based Italian American Civil Rights League—grist for comedians in addition to editorial cartoonists—whose mission was to struggle anti-Italian prejudice, specially the depiction of all Italians every bit gangsters. Barry Slotnick, counsel to the newly established organization, was also the attorney for Kahane, in addition to reportedly helped intro- duce these ii controversial figures to each other.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 New York Times editorial (15 May 1971) expressed puzzlement almost this bizarre organizational alliance: the Italian American Civil Rights League seemed an unlikely grouping to house every bit 1 of its overstep priorities occupation organisation over the mistreatment of Soviet Jews; similarly, JDL members would non probable highlight every bit a major resultant inward its political agenda the removal of the names “Mafia” in addition to “Cosa Nostra” from the idiot box plan The FBI.

Nevertheless, about analysts suggested that Kahane in addition to Colombo forged this alliance to mobilize jointly their respective supporters against their alleged systematic harassment past times the U.S. Department of Justice.

The existent argue for the alliance powerfulness never move known. On 29 June 1971, Joseph Colombo, Sr., was shot 3 times inward the caput in addition to cervix at an Italian American Unity Day Rally held at Columbus Circle in addition to attended past times an estimated 100,000 supporters.

Colombo was inward a coma for vii years in addition to died on 22 May 1978. His assailant—who was directly shot in addition to killed past times Colombo’s bodyguards—was Jerome A. Johnson, an African American who allegedly had mob ties inward Harlem.

Almost ii decades later, Rabbi Meir Kahane also suffered a fierce death. On five Nov 1990, an Egyptian janitor named El Sayyid Nosair assassinated the JDL leader before a grouping of JDL supporters at the Marriott Hotel inward midtown Manhattan.

Subsequent investigations found intriguing connections betwixt Nosair in addition to many terrorists involved inward either the get-go or bit attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in addition to also other worldwide terrorist activities perpetrated past times Al-Qaeda.

Immediately captured after the Kahane shooting, Nosair was subsequently found to move a follower of the exiled Egyptian cleric Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, in addition to therefore based inward Bailiwick of Jersey City, New Jersey. He was reportedly the spiritual leader who inspired the get-go World Trade Center bombing on 26 Feb 1993.

Furthermore, constabulary discovered that Mohammed Salameh in addition to Mahmoud Abouhalima—who were primal players inward the WTC bombing—were staying inward Nosair’s menage also inward Bailiwick of Jersey City, located close Abdel-Rahman’s mosque. Nosair’s cousin, Ibrahim el-Gabrowny obtained a $20,000 contribution from Osama bin Laden for Nosair’s legal defense.

Wadi El-Hage, the primal Al-Qaeda operative involved inward the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies inward Republic of Kenya in addition to Tanzania, visited Nosair inward his U.S. prison, several years before he went to East Africa. El Sayyid Nosair, who was acquitted of the Kahane murder inward a set down case inward 1991, was convicted inward 1995 on a federal accuse of murder inward aid of racketeering, in addition to was sentenced to life inward prison.