Three men face ethnic intimidation charges after threatening three Jewish men and yelling antisemitic insults at them outside of a pool hall in Northeast Philadelphia over the summer, with one of the suspects pointing a gun at the victims, the District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday.
Aueb Salahedein, 22, Adam Anse, 19, and Ahmad Twam, 19, are all charged with ethnic intimidation, criminal conspiracy, terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person. Salahedein is also charged with violation of the uniform firearms act.
Investigators said Salahedein, Anse and Twam spotted three men who were talking outside Bluegrass Billiards along the 9400 block of Blue Grass Road during the early morning hours of June 30, 2024. After learning the three men were Jewish, the three suspects hurled antisemitic insults at them and threatened them, investigators said. Salahedein also allegedly took out a gun from a bag and aimed it at the victims.
The three victims ran to their vehicle and tried to escape, officials said. Salahedein struck the vehicle’s windshield with his gun, cracking the glass, according to investigators. Salahedein, Anse and Twam then fled the scene in a BMW, officials said.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
The victims obtained the BMW’s license plate number while the District Attorney’s Office’s Gun Violence Task Force analyzed surveillance video and call records and also spoke with witnesses, officials said. Investigators then identified the suspects and determined they were together on the night of the incident. They also determined Salahedein bought a 9mm Taurus handgun 12 days before the incident.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Salahedein’s home where they found the bag containing a 9mm magazine and other evidence, officials said. All three suspects were then arrested on Oct. 18, 2024.
"This case underscores the importance of reporting these types of crimes and incidents," Andrew Goretsky, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League's Philadelphia office, said. "Far too often, these kinds of incidents go unreported, making it harder to address these dangerous trends. When someone is targeted because of their identity, whether they are Jewish or Muslim, Black, Asian, Latino, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it is not just wrong, it is an attack on our shared humanity. I thank the District Attorney's Office and Philadelphia Police Department for their hard work on this case."
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
NBC10 reached out to Twam’s attorney for comment. A spokesperson said they could not comment at this time.
Online court records don’t list contact information for any legal representation for Salahedein or Anse.
