MARSEILLE, France — A suspect with a previous conviction for minor crimes but who was not on the radar of French or foreign anti-terrorism authorities has been arrested in connection with Saturday morning's attack on a synagogue in southern France. The attack is being investigated as a terrorist act, French authorities said Sunday.
The arrest took place in Nîmes, about 38 kilometers from the crime scene, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said in a statement early Sunday. Two vehicles exploded in front of the synagogue and the doors of the building were also set on fire, the statement said.
Five people, including the rabbi, were inside the synagogue at the time. No one was killed, but a police officer responding to the explosions was injured when a gas cylinder near one of the vehicles also exploded, the statement said.
The suspect, seen on CCTV cameras, hid with an axe after setting the fire, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a television interview, adding that the suspect appeared to have waited for people to leave the synagogue before police arrived.
The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office is investigating the incident, among other things, on the grounds of a terrorist-motivated attempted murder, Darmanin and the prosecutor said in a statement.
During the arrest, which took place around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and police officers. According to the prosecutor's office, the suspect's face was injured. Two other people were also arrested, whom the prosecutor described as the suspect's “entourage” without giving further details.
Darmanin said police officers arrived at the scene in less than two minutes because they had just finished patrolling near the synagogue, which, like many Jewish institutions in France, is under increased protection because fears of anti-Semitic attacks remain high.
“A tragedy was probably prevented by the quick intervention of the police,” said Darmanin.
In the interview with France 2 television, Darmanin said the suspect came to France in 2016 and fathered a child there three years later, which allowed the suspect to obtain a temporary residence permit.
Darmanin said the suspect had a criminal record for illegal drug use and driving without insurance, but was not on the radar of French or foreign anti-terror services. French intelligence services did not believe he was acting on behalf of a larger organization, Darmanin added.
Darmanin added, however, that police have not yet been able to question the suspect as he is still in hospital with his injuries.
In the first three months of 2024, France recorded more than 360 anti-Semitic incidents, an average of four per day – and a 300% increase over the same period in 2023, the government said.
“Attacking a Frenchman because he is Jewish is an attack on all Frenchmen,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on the social media platform X before the arrest, adding that nearly 200 police officers had been mobilized to find the suspect.
The attack has heightened fears and revived painful memories among Jews across France. France has the largest Jewish population in Western Europe and a history of deadly anti-Semitic attacks and messages.
The war in Gaza has only heightened tensions and debates about anti-Semitism in France. Anti-Semitism and support for Israel were also major issues in recent national elections.
This article originally appeared in the New York Times.
