Authorities in the city of Wuppertal, Germany, announced that they have begun an investigation into an arson attack on a local synagogue. The investigation is being conducted under the leadership of the public prosecutor's office and follows the arrest of a ٣٧-year-old Afghan man near the scene of the incident.
Details of the incident and arrest
The man was quickly arrested by security forces due to statements indicating anti-Semitic motives. Weapons were also discovered during a search of his apartment. He is facing legal action for attempted arson and is set to appear in court.
The fire was quickly extinguished by a member of the synagogue, and as a result, no one was injured and damage to the structure of the synagogue was minimal. According to the Wuppertal public prosecutor's office, police officers were able to temporarily detain this individual while on security patrol in the area.
Investigations and possible motives
Background investigations are continuing in an "intensive" manner, and authorities have stated that there is evidence regarding the motive for the attack. This individual made statements during his arrest that indicated anti-Semitic motives for this crime. In addition to reviewing surveillance camera footage, authorities have also analyzed the suspect's mobile phone data.
According to officials, this Afghan citizen has a history of threatening a female neighbor as well. Several knives and a pistol were discovered during the search of his apartment, which were accessible to him.
Following this incident, about ٣٠ people gathered informally in front of the synagogue on Thursday night to show their solidarity. The Central Council of Jews in Germany also condemned this attack, calling it concerning on the eve of the religious holiday Yom Kippur, which takes place on September ٢٠ and ٢١.
Joseph Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, stated: "Once again, an attack has occurred on a synagogue during an important Jewish holiday. What concerns me even more is that the perpetrator carried out this attack calmly in front of the public and showed no signs of shame or awareness of the wrongness of his actions."
The city of Wuppertal, with a population of about ٣٥٠,٠٠٠, is located east of Düsseldorf in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
