Jermaiah Yusuf Sawaqed, a 25-year-old Everett man, was arrested and charged with a spate of vandalism incidents, including an attack on the Massachusetts State House last month. According to WCVB, Sawaqed is believed to be connected to the Direct-Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), a group that has been linked to several acts of vandalism at prominent public institutions in Massachusetts.
The charges against Sawaqed include vandalism, destruction of property, and possession, transportation, or use of a hoax device. His arrest followed a trail of white paint footprints that led away from the scene of the State House vandalism, where two suspicious objects were discovered, which authorities believed might be homemade improvised explosive devices. CBS Boston reported the presence of these devices, adding an unsettling layer to the sequence of the day's events.
DAML has gained notoriety for its extreme anti-Zionist stance and endorsement of violent resistance. Sawaqed's alleged involvement in these activities was made more concerning by a video obtained by federal officials, which featured him urging his followers to target government buildings and corporate logistics networks, as noted in the criminal complaint mentioned by WCVB. The group has been on the radar of the Anti-Defamation League's New England chapter, who have been "monitoring DAMPL since the group was formed back in the spring," according to a statement obtained by WCVB from ADL Executive Director Samantha Joseph.
Bail for Sawaqed, who is an alum of UMass Dartmouth and whose LinkedIn profile described him as a "dedicated bioengineer," was set at $30,000. Drawing criticism and disbelief from his family, Sawaqed's mother, Naila Dahabrah, insisted her son was innocent and unjustly punished for his views, telling WCVB, "He does not belong to any group. They have no evidence." This denial came notwithstanding her own arrest for assault and battery on a police officer, while serving a search warrant connected to the case were spat in the face of a detective by Dahabrah.
