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Bomb threats target Jewish centers, schools in several U.S. states

By Andrew V. Pestano

Feb. 27 (UPI) -- The Anti-Defamation League on Monday said there were reports of bomb threats targeting Jewish community centers and schools in several U.S. states.

The ADL said it has confirmed reports of bomb threats that occurred in a Jewish community center in Asheville, N.C., the Gesher Jewish Day School in Fairfax, Va., and the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Md.

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The ADL said there are unconfirmed reports of bomb threats in Birmingham, Ala., and Ann Arbor, Mich. Jewish community centers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were also targeted with bomb threats, authorities said.

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Officials said the David Posnack Jewish Day School in Davie, Fla., was evacuated after a woman with a distorted voice called in a threat, saying a bomb would explode anytime between 10 minutes to three hours after the call.

The bomb threats come after police launched an investigation in Philadelphia's Wissinoming neighborhood after the vandalism of headstones at the Mount Carmel Cemetery, officials said. Police estimated that up to 100 headstones were damaged, many of which were knocked over, in the incident that occurred between late Saturday and early Sunday.

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The acts of vandalism and of bomb threats follows similar incidents over recent weeks. In Missouri, more than 100 headstones were damaged after they were knocked over on Feb. 16 -- the same day 11 Jewish community centers in seven states received bomb threats.

About 60 Jewish community centers and schools have received nearly 70 bomb threats since Jan. 9. Hundreds of people, including children in preschool, have been evacuated from buildings, The Jerusalem Post reported.

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