MONSEY, United States: A suspect appeared in a New York court on Sunday charged with five counts of attempted murder after a stabbing spree at a rabbi’s suburban house that left Hanukkah celebrants throwing furniture to defend themselves. It was the latest in a spate of attacks on Jewish targets. Grafton Thomas, 37, allegedly entered the property in Monsey, Rockland County, during celebrations on Saturday evening for the Jewish Hanukkah festival, knifing several people with a machete before fleeing. Thomas was ordered held in custody after appearing in Ramapo Town Court, where he denied the charges. Thomas was reportedly arrested in his car about 30 miles (50 kilometers) away, two hours after the attack. US media reported that the suspect was covered in blood when officers detained him. The attack at the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg was quickly condemned as another incident underscoring growing anti-Semitic violence in the United States. No official details were released about the victims. Local media said one person was seriously injured. AFPRamapo police officers escort Grafton Thomas from Ramapo Town Hall to a police vehicle, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Ramapo, New York. AP PHOTO
