US monitored man arrested for threats against Jewish community in Amazonas

By Marcela Leiros – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – Amazonas police chief Marcelo Martins stated to the press this Wednesday, 9th, that André Elias Almeida Soares, arrested in Manaus (AM) for religious discrimination and simulation of a child in an explicit sex scene, had been monitored by the United States Embassy after making threats against the country’s president, Donald Trump, and the Jewish community.

The man was arrested on Wednesday morning, in a floating house in the Tarumã neighbourhood, in the Central-West zone of the capital of Amazonas. According to the police, the United States Embassy contacted the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) to monitor André Elias’s actions due to the potential danger posed to religious minorities.

Chief Marcelo Martins declared that André Elias was already engaged in an “escalation of violence” that included threats to authorities — such as the President of the United States, Donald Trump —, possession of a firearm, and invasion of religious temples. On 21 March, the man was caught at the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam) with what appeared to be a firearm.

“This individual has been on a trajectory of violent behaviour and threats for some time. There is already a report in the local press showing him entering Ufam with a firearm. In addition, there are other incidents, also at UEA [State University of Amazonas], involving his relatives in various situations,” the chief stated, adding that André Elias had already been “surveilling” synagogues before invading one in the capital of Amazonas.

“This behaviour of hanging around synagogues was not new. However, on the 7th, this past Monday, at 10 a.m., he invaded the car park of the synagogue located on Avenida Leonardo Malcher, in the city downtown, and tried to enter the internal premises of the synagogue. As he couldn’t get in, he posted a swastika on the wall with other writings, and also delivered a document containing various links, which led to a series of documents, videos with threats to authorities, threats to members of the Jewish community, and also those photos,” said the chief.

The photos Marcelo Martins referred to were collages of images of genitals and pictures of children. “He took photos of children and edited them by placing images of penises in the mouths of these children. And he included a Jewish child, for example […] his aim was to offend the Jewish community with this image, it is disturbing,” he added.

The suspect was an Information Technology coordinator at the State University of Amazonas (UEA), but was retired on medical grounds in 2023. According to the police, there is no information as to whether André Elias suffers from any psychological disorder.

Crimes

André Elias Almeida Soares, 39 years old, was arrested under a preventive arrest warrant for the crimes of racism (religious discrimination) and child sexual abuse content. He will be held accountable for the crimes, will go through a custody hearing, and will remain at the disposal of the Judiciary.

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves