The victims were stabbed in the basement of Hasidic Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg’s home in Monsey at around 10pm on Saturday, the seventh night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.<\/span><\/p>\n A suspect, identified by police as Grafton E Thomas, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.<\/span><\/p>\n Grafton E. Thomas. Click to enlarge<\/p><\/div>\n “Let’s call it what it is. These people are domestic terrorists and the law should reflect that and they should be punished as if it was an act of terrorism,” governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n Speaking at the scene, about 35 miles (56km) north of New York City, he said: “It is intolerant, it is ignorant but it is also illegal. At the end of the day, it is not just about words but actions. It is violence spurred by hate. It is mass violence and I consider this an act of domestic terrorism.”<\/span><\/p>\n One person was in a critical condition after being very seriously wounded, the governor said, adding that the rabbi’s son was among five people who were taken to hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n His condition and that of the other victims has not been made clear.<\/span><\/p>\n A motive for the attack has not been confirmed by authorities, but Mr Cuomo called it “an intolerant time in our country”.<\/span><\/p>\n “We see anger, we see hatred exploding. It is an American cancer on the body politic,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Israel strongly condemns the recent displays of antisemitism including the vicious attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, New York, during Chanukah.<\/p>\n — Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) December 29, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/grafton-thomas-1.jpg\")
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