WASHINGTON: A man who allegedly threatened to decapitate the first Hindu-American lawmaker, Tulsi Gabbard, was ordered to remain in jail for now after a court appearance in San Diego, California.
The accused Aniruddha Sherbow allegedly made two threats to murder the Democratic House member from Hawaii earlier this month, CNN reported on Friday citing newly unsealed court documents.
On Aug 1 Sherbow allegedly left an expletive-laden voicemail on Gabbard’s cell phone, with the message including a threat to her life.
Gabbard had been getting harassing messages from Sherbow since 2011 and identified his voice as the caller, CNN said citing an affidavit.
The court document said Sherbow’s mother later listened to the recording and told investigators it sounded like her son.
On Aug 3 Sherbow allegedly sent an e-mail to the FBI and some unnamed media outlets and identified himself by name, according to the affidavit. The subject of the e-mail was “Cutting Off Tulsi Gabbard’s Head.”
The message said in part, “I, Aniruddha Sherbow, with the Divine as my witness, do hereby solemnly vow to find Tulsi Gabbard, wheresover she may be, and to sever her head from her body.”
According to the court affidavit, Sherbow’s father said he received a copy of that e-mail and he identified his son as the sender.
The FBI and the US Capitol Police said Thursday that Sherbow’s threats were “deemed credible.”
Sherbow, 43, was arrested by Mexican law enforcement officers in Tijuana on Wednesday, CNN reported. The former resident of Hawaii was then turned over to the FBI in San Diego. He faces a charge of transmission of threats in interstate commerce.
He is scheduled to have another court hearing Sep 12, and officials eventually want him transferred to Washington DC for trial.
