The Cincinnati Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today, September 22, 2021, that Yousif Amin Mubarak has been arrested on a criminal complaint alleging he made telephone threats to several schools and businesses in Fairfield County and Franklin County, Ohio. Mubarak, a former Canal Winchester resident, was arrested yesterday, September 21, 2021, in the Portland, Oregon area by special agents from the FBI’s Portland Field Office.

“Threats to schools and businesses impact the entire community and have serious consequences,” stated J. William Rivers, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. “I commend the efforts of all the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies who responded to these threats and pursued the individual responsible.”

According to the criminal complaint, on September 12, 2021, Mubarak allegedly telephoned a gas station in Canal Winchester and stated he “was gonna come rob them.” That evening, Mubarak allegedly texted about Canal Winchester schools. On September 13, bomb threats were made to two Canal Winchester schools and the schools had to be evacuated. The schools were closed for the remainder of the day out of an abundance of caution.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Fire Department Bomb Squad, and the Columbus Police Department – Counter Terrorism Unit.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.