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Suspect arrested for terror attack outside French synagogue causing car explosion, one injured

 
 Reported footage of the suspect who perpetrated a terror attack in a synagogue in France, wrapped in a Palestinian flag and armed with a pistol. (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X)
Reported footage of the suspect who perpetrated a terror attack in a synagogue in France, wrapped in a Palestinian flag and armed with a pistol.
(photo credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

A French police officer was injured on Saturday when a blazing car exploded in the car park of a synagogue in the coastal town of La Grande-Motte.

French police have arrested a 33-year-old Algerian man, suspected of trying to set fire to the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte, Southern France, on Saturday, Frances' Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.

Roughly 200 policemen had been hunting for a suspect and the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office was put in charge of the investigation, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said.

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said early on Sunday that a suspect had been arrested in Nîmes on Saturday evening.

"Before the police could intervene, (the suspect) opened fire on the (police), who returned fire. The man was wounded in the face," the office said in a statement, adding that two other people were taken into custody.

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"This is an antisemitic attack. Once more, our Jewish compatriots are targeted," Attal posted on X, adding: "We won't give up. In the face of anti-Semitism, in the face of violence, we will never allow ourselves to be intimidated."

The car explosion caused a second car to catch fire and the flames spread to the synagogue's front doors. Firefighters are currently tackling four flames, according to France3.

Paris 2024 Olympics - Football - Men's Group D - Mali vs Israel - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin talks to press outside the stadium before the match. (credit: Abdul Saboor/Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Football - Men's Group D - Mali vs Israel - Parc des Princes, Paris, France - July 24, 2024. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin talks to press outside the stadium before the match. (credit: Abdul Saboor/Reuters)

France's Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, claimed the incident was an arson attack.


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"An attempted arson attack, clearly criminal, hit the synagogue of La Grande Motte this morning. I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the municipality of my full support and say that at the request of the President of the Republic @EmmanuelMacron, all means are being mobilized to find the perpetrator," he wrote on the social media platform.

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"Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this terrorist act and to protect places of worship,"  Macron posted on X on Saturday midday.

He also expressed his sympathies with the Jews community, writing, "Thoughts are with the members of the synagogue... and all the Jews in our country." He finished his post stating, "The fight against antisemitism is an ongoing battle, one that the entire nation must undertake together."

Josep Borrell, EU Foreign Affairs representative, said, "The arson attack on the synagogue in La Grande-Motte is a heinous antisemitic act that I condemn in the strongest possible terms. My thoughts are with the Jewish citizens of France. The unwavering fight against antisemitism and all forms of hatred remains our collective duty."

French news outlet Le Parisien had obtained a photo of the suspect, according to a post on X. The image, which was captured on surveillance footage in front of the synagogue shortly before the attack, shows the suspect  wearing a Palestinian flag around his legs, Le Parisien wrote in the post.

Officer wounded in the attack

A French police officer was injured on Saturday when a blazing car exploded in the car park of a synagogue in the coastal town of La Grande-Motte, a police union representative said, and police said they were treating the incident as attempted arson.

"A car exploded in front of the synagogue in @lagrandemotte. A local police official was injured," William Maury, of police union Alliance Police Nationale, said on X. He told BFM TV the police officer's life was not in danger.

Local media said two cars had been on fire, one of which contained at least one gas canister.

Jewish community reactions

Yonathan Arfi, the president of France's Representative Council of Jewish Institutions (CRIF), wrote on X in response to the attack it was done because of  "The desire to kill Jews. Exploding a gas canister in a car in front of the synagogue in La Grande Motte at the expected time of arrival of worshipers: this is not just attacking a place of worship, it is an act to try to kill Jews.

"This is antisemitism in France. But the French Jews will not back down."

He also sent his well wishes to the officer wounded in the explosion.

The European Jewish Congress has expressed that it was "appalled" by the aron attack, stating that "the persistent environment of antisemitic hate marches always leads to attacks on Jews," in a post on X on Sunday.

"The European Jewish Congress (EJC) strongly condemns the arson attack on a synagogue... as Jews had gathered to attend Shabbat prayers," the post read.

“Setting off an explosion outside a synagogue on a Shabbat morning has one aim – to kill Jews,” Dr. Ariel Muzicant, EJC President said. “A persistent environment of hate speech and hate marches targeting Jews and Israel always has the same result, “ he continued.

“Jewish communities, institutions and people are on the front line facing the violent antisemites," Dr. Muzicant emphasized. He then called on European governments, and the French in particular, to "enhance measures outside Jewish institutions to guarantee the security of Jewish citizens, while working constantly to combat this environment of hate. An appropriate start would be a zero-tolerance policy towards marches of hate against Jews and Israel on the streets of our cities.”

The press release concluded with well wishes to the injured officer, and appreciation for "the efforts of police and security services who are so often also victims."

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