A man accused of firing a shotgun into the air outside a synagogue in Albany, New York, has had a new federal charge filed against him. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, a 28-year-old Iraqi-born U.S. citizen, was arrested last Thursday after shots were fired outside Temple Israel of Albany. When officers apprehended him, Alkhader shouted "Free Palestine." According to police officials and court filings, he later explained to investigators that he felt affected by events in the Middle East.

Initially, federal prosecutors charged Alkhader with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, as he had admitted to using marijuana. However, on Monday, he faced an additional charge of conspiracy to make a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. This new charge is related to the recent purchase of the shotgun that authorities believe he used in the shooting. Alkhader believed he was not eligible to buy a firearm due to a previous protective order, so he enlisted a friend to buy the shotgun for him. Prosecutors allege that his friend falsely indicated on a federal form that he was purchasing the weapon for himself.

Alkhader's public defender could not be reached for comment on the new charge. As of now, he is being held without bail.

The incident occurred last week around 2 p.m., and fortunately, no one was injured. Alkhader had given his friend money to buy the Kel-Tec KS7 pump-action shotgun in early November, as he believed he was ineligible to make the purchase personally due to an order of protection or restraining order. The criminal complaint states that the friend lied on the federal form, claiming that the firearm was for himself. In addition to the cost of the gun, Alkhader also gave his friend an extra $200 to complete the transaction.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York has been handling the case, and they are continuing their investigation into the incident.