Two Face Terrorism Charges For Threats Against Gov, SOS, Justices

Sep 22

2 min read

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 09/21/2026) Two Michigan residents are accused of making threats against elected officials, including the Governor and Secretary of State, as well as Michigan Supreme Court justices.

Attorney General Dana Nessel announced today that Alica Choucair, 33, of Roseville, was arraigned in 19th District Court in Dearborn on two counts of false report or threat of terrorism and one count each of using a computer to commit a crime and making a true hate crime threat.

The second defendant, Anthony Dekinderen, 61, of Lake Orion, was arraigned in the 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills on Saturday on charges of false report or threat of terrorism.

"Thousands of Michigan residents answer the call to serve through elected office, be it as the local mayor or in statewide office," Nessel said. "Unfortunately, hate crimes and threats of terrorism against officials at all levels of government are becoming increasingly common.

"Let these charges serve as a warning that Michigan takes threats of violence very seriously and will prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law," she added.

Nessel alleged that Choucair, who faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted as charged, called the local dispatch threatening violence against a mosque and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud if "your people" weren't kept out of her town.

Choucair was given a $20,000 cash or surety bond and is scheduled to appear for a probable cause conference on Sept. 30.

Dekinderen allegedly emailed a Michigan-based journalist with threats to kill the Michigan Supreme Court, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Dekinderen, who also faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted as charged, was given a $5 million bond and ordered to be on electronic monitoring if released. He returns to court Sept. 28.

In 2019, Nessel launched the Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism Unit.

Reports of suspected hate bias or terrorism crimes across the state have included a confrontation and property defacement against a Muslim candidate in Dearborn Heights, the distribution of antisemitic flyers in Berkley and various assaults against religious institutions, including Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, the Church of Latter Day Saints in Grand Blanc and CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne.