A group of college-aged activists were released on bond after they were charged earlier this week with engaging in a conspiracy to threaten University of Michigan leaders over their refusal to divest from Israel.Four of the eight defendants — Zainab Hakim, 23; Paige Feyock, 26; Jonathan Zou, 22; and Colin Weger, 24 — appeared before U.S.Magistrate Judge Anthony Patti on Friday.This came after FBI Director Kash Patel announced seven arrests in connection with the case.After Hakim, Feyock, Zou and Weger entered not guilty pleas, Patti ordered them to be released on bond, according to court records reviewed by Fox News Digital.They will have to surrender their passports, have no contact with any of the alleged victims or co-defendants and submit to GPS monitoring and travel restrictions, CBS News reported.FBI NABS 7 FOR ALLEGED 'CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE' TO PRESSURE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, BUSINESSES OVER ISRAEL TIESA photo shows threatening messages allegedly spray-painted on the Jewish Federation building on the first anniversary of the Oct.
7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.(U.S.
Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan)Throughout the hearing, prosecutors argued that the defendants should stay in jail because they are a flight risk and a danger to the community.The judge emphasized free speech concerns, given how reliant the case is on social media posts made by the accused, according to CBS News.Shortly after Hamas launched the Oct.7 attacks in 2023, the suspects allegedly began coordinating with each other to intimidate university leaders, law enforcement and businesses they believed were financially supporting Israel, according to a federal indictment.The U.S Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan released a photo showing one such instance of intimidation, when in May 2024, students put fake corpses wrapped in sheets outside the home of University of Michigan Regent Sarah Hubbard.Hubbard welcomed charges being brought, saying i...