HAGERSTOWN, MD — A Hagerstown woman was arrested following a joint investigation into multiple online threats made against local churches, officials announced Sunday.
Salamah Bassem Audi, 35, is accused of making threats directed at Gateway Experience Church in Williamsport, The City of God in Hagerstown, and their pastors. The threats were discovered last week in messages posted to an online blog, according to investigators.
One of the posts threatened to blow up a pastor “into itty bitty pieces” while he was walking to his car. The Hagerstown Fire Marshal’s Office and the Office of the State Fire Marshal worked with the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC) to trace the blog to Audi.
Audi was arrested without incident on Saturday with the assistance of the Hagerstown Police Department. She has been charged with two counts of arson threat and one count of threat of mass violence.
Audi is being held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center following an initial court appearance.