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Nicholas Malindretos was charged by complaint with one count of attempted use of fire to damage and destroy a building used in interstate commerce in connection with the 3:20 a.m. incident Sunday, Jan. 29 at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
Surveillance cameras at the synagogue recorded a person later identified as Malindretos as he approached wearing a black ski mask, a black or dark gray hooded sweatshirt with a white emblem of what appeared to be a skull and cross bones, black pants, dark shoes, and white gloves.
The video showed Malindretos walking up to the front entrance area of the temple, pausing, and then igniting a wick on the top of a bottle. He then threw the bottle at the front glass doors of the temple and fled on foot, police said.
A license plate reading device nearby recorded a vehicle passing by shortly before and shortly after the incident, leading police to the car in Clifton, authorities said. There, they saw several items consistent with the video of the incident plainly visible inside.
Video cameras near where the car was parked captured the vehicle parking and a male with the same physical characteristics as Malindretos getting out of the vehicle and entering a nearby building.
Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and Malindretos was subsequently charged.
He was scheduled to have his initial appearance in Newark federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel on Feb. 2.
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