Ex-journalist pleads not guilty to threatening Jewish groups

NEW YORK – A former journalist from St. Louis has pleaded not guilty to charges he made threats against Jewish organizations.

Juan Thompson entered the plea Monday during a brief appearance in federal court in New York.

Prosecutors have accused the 32-year-old Thompson of making threats against Jewish community centres, schools or other facilities to harass his ex-girlfriend. They said he sometimes used her name.

They said in one message he claimed he had placed two bombs in a Jewish school and was “eager for Jewish Newtown,” a reference to the 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

The government says it’s collecting evidence from about two dozen laptops, tablets and cellphones seized from his home.

Thompson was fired from the online publication The Intercept last year.

His next court date is May 18.