Ron Paul supporting Jew-hater arrested in firebombing of New Jersey rabbi's home and synagogue

Authorities arrested a New Jersey teen Tuesday following their investigation into the firebombing of a Rutherford synagogue earlier this month, CBSNewYork reported. 

Anthony Graziano, 19, of Lodi was charged with nine counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree bias intimidation and one count of first-degree aggravated arson for the Jan. 11 attack in Rutherford.

Graziano also faces arson and bias charges related to a similar incident in Paramus, an attack on Temple K’Hal Adath Jeshrun on Jan. 3.

“I’ve been crying all day. I don’t know what to say, what to do,” said Graziano’s father, whose name is also Anthony.  He doubted his son did it. Or if he did, the father believes, he was “coerced.”

Investigators said they found Google searches of both temples. Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli described the Hasbrouck Heights High School grad as an unemployed loner, who was obsessed with Xbox and had a brewing hatred for Jews. His facebook page refers to Jews and support for Republican candidate Ron Paul.

“We have no doubt that the arson and the attempted murder in Rutherford were directly the result of Mr. Graziano’s hatred for people of Jewish faith,” Molinelli told reporters, including 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg. “He does not hate Jewish people,” Graziano’s father told CBS 2′s Sean Hennessey. “I don’t care what the prosecutor says. I know my son.” But a classmate of Graziano told Hennessey: “For the past two months he’s been talking about how much he hates Jews because they were going to take over the country. This kid is crazy. He’s insane.”

The arrest comes just days after the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office released video of a “person of interest” sought in the investigation into the firebombing.  (See photos and video at right.) Investigators say surveillance video shows him leaving a Walmart on Route 46 in Saddle Brook after buying materials to make Molotov cocktails.

It was that video that authorities said had multiple tipsters calling in and that eventually led to Graziano’s arrest.

Molinelli said a receipt was found showing a purchase for duct tape, three cans of Suave aerosol spray, Crush soda bottles and low-grade motor oil. Molinelli said members of his department and police canvassed stores on the day of the attack looking into their databases before coming across the video.

Molinelli said the big break came when law enforcement officials linked all of the firebomb ingredients to the Saddle Brook Walmart, WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell reported. “It’s disturbing that a hate monger like Graziano was living in Bergen County right in our midst. The arrest shows this won’t be tolerated,” Etzion Neuer, of the Anti-Defamation League, told CBS 2′s Christine Sloan.

“He’s my blood and I don’t know what happened. He just, I have no idea. I’m just, I’m like flabbergasted,” said Graziano’s father.

Several Molotov cocktails were hurled at the home of Rabbi Nossom Schuman and his family in the early hours of the morning several weeks ago. One landed on the rabbi’s bed. No one was seriously injured, but the family fled the house in fear.