A woman stands at a memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 people there on October 27, 2018 (Brendan SMIALOWSKI)

Washington (AFP) – US prosecutors said Tuesday they had expanded the indictment of the man who killed 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue last year, increasing the number of charges he faces to 63.

The Justice Department added 13 hate crimes charges against Robert Bowers, who allegedly opened fire inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood on October 27, 2018, saying he wanted to “kill Jews.”

Bowers killed members of three congregations in the synagogue for services, and wounded two worshippers and several police officers who responded to the attack.

It was the worst anti-Semitic attack in recent US history, and added to fears about a resurgence of far-right extremists and neo-Nazis across the country. Bowers expressed strong anti-Semitic views over the internet ahead of the attack.

The expanded indictment includes multiple counts of hate crimes resulting in murder and attempted murder; obstruction of religious practice resulting in murder and attempted murder; and multiple gun-related crimes.

Twenty-two of the 63 counts could result in the death penalty, the Justice Department said.

A trial date has not been set.

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