CLEVELAND/PITTSBURGH — In a troubling sign of rising anti-Muslim hatred in the United States, federal authorities have arrested two American men accused of threatening separate mosques in Ohio and Pennsylvania, drawing praise from civil rights advocates for swift action that may have prevented potential attacks during the final days of Ramadan.

“51 Kebab skewers”

Federal authorities in the Cleveland, Ohio area have charged a 20-year-old White American man with criminal counts, including threatening a mosque and illegally possessing firearms while using controlled substances.

Wyatt James Brzoska, ‌20, posted a series of videos on the social media platform TikTok that included references to mass shootings and extremist symbols, including the “Black Sun”, a symbol associated with neo-Nazi ideology.

Authorities first received a tip about Brzoska in mid-November, when he initially claimed that his threats were “a joke,” according to the complaint.

However, further investigation revealed that he posted a video later that month referencing the 2019 mosque shooting in New Zealand, in which 51 people were killed by a White supremacist attacker.

The Ummah Islamic Center in the Cleveland area of Ohio

“This Thanksgiving, I’m thinking about cooking 51 kebab skewers instead of a turkey,” he stated in the video.
A remark that FBI Cleveland Special Agent Lynne DePillis said was a direct reference to the number of victims in the New Zealand terrorist attack, indicating his desire to emulate the assault carried out by that shooter.

During the investigation, Brzoska admitted to possessing an AR-15 rifle, two shotguns and a Springfield bolt-action rifle according to federal prosecutors.

On March 10, he recorded another video from inside his car, pointing the camera toward a mosque in Ohio with the caption, “You will feel it” while wearing military-style clothing.

The video showed the Ummah Center Islamic facility in Columbia Station, Lorain County, not far from his residence in neighboring Medina County, part of the greater Cleveland area.

Following the video, federal authorities arrested him on March 18 on charges including interstate threats and illegal possession of firearms while using marijuana.

Civil rights response

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) chapter in Northern Ohio welcomed the arrest, praising law enforcement’s swift action “to prevent what could have been a devastating act of violence targeting a house of worship.”

In a statement, CAIR emphasized that no community should live in fear of attack because of its religious beliefs and called for proactive measures to protect vulnerable communities.

The organization also urged the rejection of Islamophobia and encouraged cooperation between law enforcement and local Muslim institutions to ensure their safety.

CAIR had also welcomed the arrest of another American man accused of threatening a mosque in neighboring Pennsylvania via a voicemail message.

“Go back to Iran”

One day before Brzoska’s arrest in Cleveland, federal agents in Pittsburgh arrested Ted Frank, 54, of Center Township, on charges of threatening to bomb the Islamic Center of Western Pennsylvania, located in Marshall Township, Allegheny County.

According to details, Frank called the mosque on the evening of March 13 and left a voicemail described as “filled with hate speech and death threats,” according to Christine Mohamed, executive director of CAIR’s Pittsburgh office.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators traced the voicemail’s caller ID and linked the phone call to Frank.

Police quoted Frank as saying in the alleged message that Muslims should leave the United States and “go back to Iran.”

“Go back to Iran where they can bomb you to death,” Frank allegedly said, declaring that mosque attendees “do not even have the right to live.”

“If I were in charge, I would wipe every Muslim off the face of the earth.”

The caller repeatedly demanded that Muslims leave the United States and threatened to bomb the mosque, causing panic and prompting a full evacuation of the facility while police dogs searched for explosives.

The message was heard around 5:30 p.m. March 13, as mosque officials were preparing for evening prayers expected to draw approximately 300 worshipers.

By March 17, investigators identified the suspect and arrested him at his home in neighboring Beaver County. He faces federal charges, including terrorist threats and ethnic intimidation and was ordered held without bail pending further court proceedings.

“I feel relieved that authorities are taking this matter seriously,” Mohamed said, adding that the suspect’s actions “must have serious consequences.”

She said that the swift arrest and law enforcement response made the broader community feel “safe and supported.”

Rising Islamophobia

According to CAIR’s latest annual civil rights report, complaints of bias and discrimination against Muslims continue to rise nationwide, reaching a record 8,683 complaints in 2025.

The figures reflect a continuing pattern of escalating Islamophobia that threatens Muslim communities across the United States.