A French judge has placed the main suspect involved in an arson attack on a synagogue in a resort in southern France last week under formal investigation for attempted murder on the grounds of race or religion, along with two other suspects.
The suspect, an Algerian man identified as EHK, who expressed deep hatred of Jews, and told prosecutors he acted in “support of the Palestinian cause”, was charged with attempted terrorist murder on the grounds of race or religion and for association with a criminal organisation.
He will remain in custody, along with another suspect who was charged with association with criminal terrorism. A third suspect charged with having transported EHK has been released under supervision.
In a statement to the media Wednesday, France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said EHK was "radicalised in the practice of his religion over several months" and had long harboured "a hate for Jews, particularly focused on the situation in Palestine".
"He had admitted to the facts in the first hearing" and "explained that he acted in support of the Palestinian cause, denying any homicidal intent but conceding to have had intended to cause fear", the public prosecutor said.
EHK was filmed by CCTV setting multiple fires around the Beth Yaacov synagogue in Grande-Motte, near Montpellier, on Saturday before the morning Shabbat service which was attended by five people, including the rabbi.
An explosion injured a police officer, and the suspect was later apprehended in Nimes after a shootout with police.
(with AFP)
