(PITTSBURGH, PA — March 30, 2026) — StandWithUs, an international nonpartisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism, welcomes the federal grand jury indictment on March 30 of six individuals in connection with a violent, targeted antisemitic attack in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh in September 2024.
The indictment names Muhammed Koc, Omar Alshmari, Abraham Choudhry, Emirhan Arslan, Ali Alkhaleel, and Adeel Piracha as defendants. According to court documents, the incident began when a group made virulent antisemitic statements to a passerby upon seeing his Star of David pendant. Two of the defendants then physically assaulted the victim because of his religious identity, and the group later conspired to provide false testimony to a grand jury to shield the attackers.
“This indictment is a crucial step in ensuring that those who target individuals for their faith are held accountable under the full weight of the law,” said Julie Paris, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director of StandWithUs. “We are seeing a disturbing rise in targeted violence against Jews. When an individual is attacked simply for being Jewish, it is an attack on the entire community and the fundamental values of a safe, pluralistic society.”
The charges carry significant legal weight because they address both the physical violence and the attempt to undermine our justice system. By using the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the Department of Justice is sending a clear message that attacking someone for wearing a religious symbol will not be tolerated. The defendants face up to 10 years in prison for the hate crime and obstruction charges, and up to 5 years for conspiracy, along with fines of up to $250,000.
StandWithUs expresses its deep gratitude to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the FBI, and the University of Pittsburgh Police Department. “Justice requires more than just identifying attackers; it requires dismantling the conspiracies that attempt to hide the truth,” added Paris. “We thank law enforcement for their tireless work in protecting the Jewish community and upholding civil rights for all.”
If you have experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident and need legal support, please file an incident report with StandWithUs: https://www.standwithus.com/report-an-antisemitic-incident
