Possible threat raises fear in San Antonio Jewish community

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jewish community leaders in San Antonio had put synagogues and other facilities on high alert Saturday after being informed by the FBI of a potential threat.

But hours later, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio said the FBI had informed it there was no longer any “known imminent threat” for the local Jewish community.

“Although we recommend staying vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times, we are pleased to share that the urgency of concern has been lowered,” the federation said in a Facebook post.

Earlier Saturday, the group had said all formal religious gatherings in the San Antonio area were canceled due to security concerns.

In a statement, the FBI said it had been investigating “a potential threat targeting an unidentified synagogue in Texas.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said he urged all communities to have a heightened sense of awareness, particularly in the wake of the deadly Independence Day parade shooting in suburban Chicago.

In January, a man held four hostages for more than 10 hours at a North Texas synagogue. One of the hostages was released during the standoff while the rest were rescued when authorities entered the building and killed the hostage taker.