An intruder stabbed and wounded five people at a rabbi’s house in upstate New York during a party to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah late Saturday, officials said.

The victims, all Hasidic members of the Jewish faith, were transported to local hospitals — two in a critical condition — the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) tweeted after receiving a call at 9.50 pm.

The suspect has been taken into custody, local Ramapo Police said in a statement on Facebook.

Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, said in a statement that he was “horrified” by the “despicable and cowardly act”, and had directed the State Police hate crimes task force to investigate.

“We have a zero tolerance for anti-Semitism in NY and we will hold the attacker accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” he tweeted.

CBS New York reported that a man brandishing a machete went into the rabbi’s property in Monsey, New York State, an area with a large Jewish population, and knifed at least three people before fleeing.

Source: AFP