Police open terror probe after explosion near synagogue in southern France

NEWS WIRES

24 August 2024 at 5:12 am·1-min read

An explosion outside a synagogue in the southern French town of La Grande-Motte on Saturday morning injured a policeman and damaged at least two vehicles. Authorities are treating the blast as a potential terror attack.

An explosion outside a synagogue in southern France wounded a police officer early on Saturday, in what authorities said was being treated as a potential terror attack.

Security around Jewish sites was tightened following the early Saturday blast outside the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the seaside resort of La Grande Motte, near the city of Montpellier.

A fire was also started at the entrance of the synagogue, but was quickly put out, with two doors damaged, investigators said.

President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “an act of terror”, adding on X that “the fight against anti-Semitism is a daily fight”.

Two cars outside the synagogue burst into flames after a gas canister likely exploded inside one of the vehicles, police said. The blast wounded a police officer, police said, without providing any other details.

La Grande Motte’s mayor, Stephan Rossignol, said that CCTV had picked up images of an individual setting fire to the cars.

The potential suspect seen in the footage was brandishing a Palestinian flag, a source close to the probe added.

One of the images also appeared to show him to be armed, possibly with a 9mm pistol, the source added.

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