MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man accused of yelling "I will cut your head off" to a rabbi in Miami Beach on Tuesday was rearrested that same day on immigration charges.
Diego Chaar, 24, was arrested on assault and stalking after yelling "Allahu akbar," which is translated from Arabic as "God is great" or "God is greater."
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Police said Rabbi David Weberman and a witness ignored Chaar, at which point he yelled, "Heads will be cut off" and "I will cut your head off."
He was given a warning by police, but returned to the Ohev Shalom Congregation at which point he was arrested, police said.
Chaar told Local 10 News that he converted to Islam three years ago while serving time in prison on drug charges.
He said he never threatened the rabbi and said he simply wanted to convert the rabbi and the witness to Islam.
"Because I don't want them to burn in eternal hell forever," Chaar said. "I want to help. They're good people."
Local 10 placed several telephone calls to Weberman, but he did not return the calls. Local 10 was able to contact the other temple member involved, identified in the police report as Issac Rosenberg. He declined to make any comments on camera.
Authorities said Chaar was rearrested later that day by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chaar, who is a citizen of Brazil, will remain in the agency's custody pending a hearing with an immigration judge.
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