Apr 9, 2025
Zimnako Salah, a 45-year-old man from Phoenix, Arizona, was found guilty on April 3 for attempting to intimidate and obstruct Christian church services due to the attendees’ faith in Jesus.
Attorney General Pam Bondi explained in a press release that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will prosecute individuals who attempt to obstruct religious freedom within the United States.
“This Department of Justice has no tolerance for anyone who targets religious Americans for their faith,” Bondi stated. “The perpetrator of this abhorrent hate crime against Christians will face severe punishment.”
A federal jury found that Salah strapped a backpack to the toilet of a Christian church in November 2023 in Roseville, California, and left a backpack in an Arizona church’s sanctuary in September 2023 to induce a fake bomb scare and stop services. The man attempted to leave backpacks in churches in La Mesa, California, and Colorado as well but was stopped by security before planting them.
The backpacks were meant to instill fear and “obstruct the free exercise of religion,” according to the DOJ.
Although these backpack bombs were hoaxes, upon searching a storage unit used by Salah, authorities discovered he was building an actual bomb designed to fit inside a backpack. Whether or not Salah was exercising trial runs with the hoax backpacks is unknown at this time.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith stated that the guilty verdict provided more safety to American communities.
“Planting a hoax bomb at the Roseville church was not an isolated incident or a prank for this defendant,” Beckwith said. “His actions were designed to threaten and intimidate the congregation because he disagreed with their religious beliefs. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement and the attorneys from my office and our DOJ partners in Washington D.C., our communities are safer with yesterday’s verdict. People of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
The DOJ stated that a social media search for Salah revealed that he engaged in viewing videos “depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people” and looked for footage of “infidels dying.”
Sentencing for Salah is scheduled for July 18 and carries a maximum $250,000 fine and six years in prison.