Police

Cops: Riverhead couple made terrorist threat to house of worship

(Credit: East Hampton Village Police Department)
Melih Dincer and Asli Dincer (Credit: East Hampton Village Police Department)

UPDATE:  According to an East Hampton Village police report, Mr. and Ms. Dincer both pled not guilty Friday afternoon in East Hampton Town Justice Court.

Town Justice Steven Tekulsky set bail at $50,000 cash and $250,000 bond each, and the couple was transported to Suffolk County Jail in Riverside, police said.

ORIGINAL STORY: A Riverhead duo wanted for questioning regarding terroristic threats made against a Jewish house of worship in East Hampton was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport Thursday night, East Hampton Village police said.

Asli Dincer, 44, and her former husband Melih Dincer, 31, were arrested by Village detectives shortly after stepping off an international flight and charged with making a terrorist threat, and first-degree falsely reporting an incident, both felonies. They were also charged with menacing and conspiracy, both misdemeanors, police said.

They had been wanted for questions after leaving the country earlier this summer in connection with several written threats had been made against the Jewish Center of the Hamptons over the past several months, police said.

It was not immediately clear what threats were made against the house of worship.

The Jewish Center of the Hamptons notified village police, who coordinated efforts with the Suffolk County police and New York State Police, also working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force to identify the Dincers, according to the release.

The couple was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in East Hampton Town Justice Court.