FBI arrests man for allegedly threatening to murder Ilhan Omar

The FBI arrested a New York man on charges of threatening to assault and murder Rep. Ilhan Omar after he allegedly called her office and said that he would shoot the Democratic congresswoman in the head.

"Do you work for the Muslim Brotherhood?” Patrick Carlineo, who was arrested Friday, told one of Omar’s staffers, according to the criminal complaint. “Why are you working for her? She's a fucking terrorist. I'll put a bullet in her fucking skull.”

Carlineo provided the spelling of his name and contact information to Omar’s office, which referred the information to the FBI on March 21. Carlineo told the FBI that he's a big fan of President Donald Trump and that he despises Muslims in the U.S. government.

Omar, a progressive Minnesota Democrat, is one of two Muslim women ever elected to Congress, along with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, of Michigan. She and Tlaib are also the only two sitting members of Congress who openly support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel’s occupation and human-rights abuses in Palestinian territories.

Omar is the most vocal critic of Israel in Congress, and her pushback of the country’s government as well as its relationship with the U.S. and lobbyists has triggered controversy numerous times. In fact, Omar has repeatedly experienced threats of violence since taking office. A self-avowed white nationalist included the congresswoman on his purported hit list in February, and the FBI said it was investigating graffiti in Minnesota that same month that called for Omar’s assassination.

Omar has been relatively quiet about the man’s arrest. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, chastised Omar hours after her would-be assassin was arrested and charged.

“Special thanks to Rep. Omar of Minnesota,” Trump said sarcastically, before the Republican Jewish Coalition on Saturday. “Oh, oh! I forgot. She doesn’t like Israel. I forgot!”

Omar responded to Trump with a tweet: “My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know.”

Cover image: Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., listens as Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Russell Vought testifies before the House Budget Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 12, 2019, during a hearing on the fiscal year 2020 budget. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)