Irv Rubin

Irving Rubin (1946 - 2002) was a Canadian born political activist who was the chairman of the militant Jewish Defense League in the United States from 1985 through 2002. After experiencing widespread anti-Semitism in his home city of Montreal, Canada he and his parents and sister moved to the neighborhood of Granada Hills, California, a predominantly Jewish suburb of Los Angeles He attained American citizenship shortly thereafter, and served as a sergeant in the United States Air Force until he was honorably discharged. Before joining the Libertarian Party, he was an active Republican, and served as a paige at the 1964 Republican Convention which nominated Barry Goldwater as its presidential candidate.

Related Topics:
1946 - 2002 - Canadian - Jewish Defense League - United States - 1985 - Anti-Semitism - Los Angeles - Air Force - Libertarian Party - Republican - Barry Goldwater

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His followers view him as an outspoken Jew who confronted anti-Semites directly, with the intent of demonstrating that he would not silently countenance anti-Semitism. Many critics denounced him as a terrorist. More moderate Jews viewed him as an atypical activist: Rob Eshman, the Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles characterized him as follows: "In the solar system of Jewish life, Irv Rubin is Pluto." Eshman raised considerable doubt as to his guilt in this same editorial. http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/searchview.php?id=7889 http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/searchview.php?id=7889 He was a staunch supporter of the Second Ammendment (the right to keep and bear arms)http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/02/01/Rubin/LATimes220102.html

Related Topics:
Anti-Semites - Second Ammendment

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rubin became the successor to JDL founder Rabbi Meir Kahane, after the latter moved to Israel in 1985 and formed the Kach Party, which was eventually outlawed by the Israeli Government as a "racist" party. Kahane briefly held a seat in the Knesset (the Israeli parliament).

Related Topics:
Rabbi Meir Kahane - Kach Party - Knesset

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Alex Odeh, the local chairman of the pro-Palestinian Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) was killed by a bomb in his office in 1985, chairman Irv Rubin was implicated, and further antagonized his opponents by saying that "Odeh got what he deserved." However, the organization has insisted the attack was committed by others, The FBI has never been able to prove its original allegations against the JDL, given that the original suspects in the case fled to Israel. The crime remains unsolved. The investigation of Rubin was headed by FBI special agent Mary Hogan, the same agent who signed the affadavit accusing Rubin of planning to destroy government property and other targets, some 15 years later.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On December 12, 2001, Irv Rubin, JDL Chairman, and Earl Krugel, a member of the organization, were charged with conspiracy to bomb private and government property. The two were caught in the act of planning bomb attacks against the King Fahd Mosque in Culver City, California and on the office of Arab-American Congressman Darrell Issa's office, although the evidence against Rubin was weak. The two were arrested as part of a sting operation after an FBI operative delivered explosives to Krugel's home in L.A.

Related Topics:
December 12 - 2001 - Mosque - Culver City, California - Arab-American - Congressman - Darrell Issa - Sting operation - Explosive

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The JDL claims the ordeal was caused by the acts of an agent provocateur named Danny Gillis, who himself had a long criminal history and struck a deal with rogue elements of the FBI for a lighter sentence by cooperating to neutralize the JDL by infiltrating the organization and arranging criminal allegations of its leadership.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In November 2002, while in prison in the Metropolitan detention Center on Los Angeles http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/los/index.jsp awaiting trial, Rubin allegedly cut his throat with a small safety razor and jumped, fell or was pushed{{fact}}, http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/19243/edition_id/389/format/html/displaystory.html, off an 18 to 20 foot balcony. The injuries from the fall he suffered resulted in his death at Los Angeles County Hospital several days later. The circumstances surrounding his death are not clear and his followers suspect that he was murdered.http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/19243/edition_id/389/format/html/displaystory.html The Bureau of Prisons refused to release videotape, despite the fact that virtually all his visitors report that the entire facility is constantly monitored by video-cameras{{fact}}. The Rubin family hav, thus far, been unsuccessful in pursuing a wrongful death suit.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On February 4, 2003, Earl Krugel, Rubins first lieuntant pled guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from the plot. This plea was later withdrawn by the presiding Judge, and he was charged with additional crimes which, if convicted, could result in a 55 year imprisonment in a Federal Penitentiary. The plea bargain was apparently reinstated in late September 2005, and the 62 year old Krugal was sentenced to 20 years in federal dentention. http://www.time.com/time/searchresults?query=Earl+Krugel&x=18&y=2

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See also: Jewish Defense League

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~