Alleged Terror Incident at French Synagogue - Four Individuals Detained
As per reports from France's anti-terrorism unit (Pnat), a suspect was apprehended late Saturday night in Nîmes. This occurred around 11:30 PM, following an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers. The individual reportedly opened fire on the officers, who responded with their own fire, leading to the suspect's injury in the face.
Sources close to the case have identified the suspect as a 33-year-old Algerian with lawful residency. His arrest took place in a neighborhood of Nîmes notorious for poverty and illegal drug trafficking.
French authorities are treating the incident at the Beth Yaacov Synagogue in La Grande-Motte as a potential terror attack. At approximately 8:00 to 8:30 AM on Saturday, two vehicles parked in the synagogue's courtyard were set ablaze. Along with this, the synagogue's doors and a car outside also caught fire.
According to the Pnat, an explosion occurred when a gas cylinder in one of the burnt vehicles detonated, injuring a police officer. Further details provided by the prefecture suggest that four other gas cylinders were stored in the synagogue's courtyard, one of which also exploded.
French President Emmanuel Macron labeled the incident as a "terrorist act." The Pnat has launched an investigation, focusing on charges of attempted terrorist murder and the formation of a terrorist criminal organization with the intention of committing acts of violence against people. Surveillance footage shows the main suspect wearing a Palestinian scarf around his waist and a red and white keffiyeh, while carrying a weapon.
Yonathan Arfi, president of the French umbrella organization Crif, expressed relief on an online platform after the suspect's apprehension. Arfi noted that despite their fortunate timing, they had narrowly avoided the worst scenario. Perla Danan, regional Crif representative, told AFP that the community was grateful for the outcome, but remained vigilant.
The website of the synagogue indicated that a service was scheduled for 9:00 AM. At the time of the attack, there were only five individuals in the building, including the rabbi, all of whom emerged unscathed. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, visiting the scene, declared that France had managed to avoid a tragic incident. Attal condemned the escalation of a hostile atmosphere in the region, which he attributed to certain entities stirring up tension since the October 7 incident involving Hamas.
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in France has drastically risen since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' radical Islamic attacks on Israel on October 7. In the first half of the year, there were 887 such incidents recorded, compared to 304 during the same period in 2023.
The incident at the Beth Yaacov Synagogue in La Grande-Motte is being investigated as a potential terror attack, following the burning of two vehicles and explosions that injured a police officer. French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently labeled this incident as a "terrorist act."
