Portland authorities on Friday booked into jail a 19-year-old man from Kenya for threatening employees of a Northeast Portland deli that he would blow up the store “in the name of Allah,” for not selling him a loosie.
Abdalah Mohamed was arraigned on Monday and pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree intimidation. In July, according to the Oregonian, Mohamed also was accused of making disparaging remarks about Jews and Israel.
The fact that the incident took place in a deli and that anti-Semitism was at play seems particularly ominous in the face of the recent slaughter of Jewish patrons at the Hyper Cacher kosher deli in France.
Deputy District Attorney for Multnomah County, Richard Freud, stated that Mohamed had entered the deli on July 14 asking to buy a cigarette, but was told by deli worker Shaheen Brodle that they only sold cigarettes by the package. Demanding to see the owner, Iraj Rafai introduced himself and reiterated that the store does not sell individual cigarettes.
According to a court affidavit, Mohamed became belligerent and shouted, “You Israeli … I’ll blow up your store in the name of Allah!… We take care of people like you.”
The affidavit informed that Mohamed spit toward Rafai while he was leaving the premise. Afterward, while police questioned witnesses the Kenyan called the store and uttered more derogatory remarks.
The Oregonian further reported that Mohamed has been in the country since 2000, had been arrested for cocaine possession in another unrelated case, and is due back in court on January 21.
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