SACRAMENTO, CA – A Phoenix man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for planting hoax bomb devices at Christian churches across multiple states and attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religion.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 46-year-old Zimnako Salah was convicted in March 2025 of placing a backpack inside a Roseville, California, church bathroom to simulate a bomb threat. Prosecutors said Salah’s actions were part of a wider hate-motivated campaign targeting Christian congregations in Arizona, California, and Colorado. The jury found that Salah targeted the churches because of the religion of those who worshipped there, classifying the crimes as hate offenses.
Evidence presented at trial showed that between September and November 2023, Salah visited four churches carrying black backpacks. At two locations, he planted the bags, causing congregants to fear they contained explosives. At two others, he was stopped by security before he could leave the items behind. A later search of his storage unit uncovered components for an improvised explosive device, and investigators determined Salah had been consuming extremist propaganda online, including ISIS videos and anti-American content.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated that the sentence underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting religious freedom and holding accountable those who threaten others based on faith. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel both credited swift coordination among church security teams, local police, and federal agents for preventing an intended bombing plot…