---
category: "Extremism & Violent Networks"
tags:
  - Person
summary: "Australian member of the Church of God who carried out the 1969 arson attack on Jerusalem's El Aqsa Mosque, allegedly connected to the Jewish Defense League."
location: "Australia"
---
[[Michael Dennis Rohan]] was an [[Australia|Australian]] member of the [[Church of God]]. In 1969, he was a volunteer at [[Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon]] in [[Israel]], where he shared a room with [[Ari Ben-Menashe]]. [[Michael Dennis Rohan|Rohan]] believed he was destined to be the king of [[Israel]] and prepare the way for the return of Christ.[^1]

[[Michael Dennis Rohan|Rohan]] was responsible for an arson attack on the [[El Aqsa Mosque]] in [[Jerusalem]] in August 1969. He believed that destroying the mosque was necessary for the rebuilding of the Third Temple and the return of Jesus. He was reportedly involved with the [[Jewish Defense League]] (JDL) in this act. [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] played a role in his apprehension, reporting him to the [[Israel|Israeli]] police.[^1]

[[Michael Dennis Rohan|Rohan]] pleaded guilty at a public hearing, was declared mentally ill, and committed to a psychiatric hospital. He later escaped but turned himself in after speaking with [[Ari Ben-Menashe]]. He was eventually deported to [[Australia]].[^1]

### Footnotes
[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).