Afghan man sets fire to synagogue in Wuppertal, Germany; police detain suspect

In the German city of Wuppertal (North Rhine-Westphalia), an unknown assailant set fire to a synagogue. The incident took place on Thursday afternoon, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine newspaper.

The outlet reports that the attacker threw several bags containing flammable liquid at the side entrance of the synagogue building, then ignited it and fled the scene. Synagogue staff extinguished the blaze within minutes, and no one was injured.

Shortly after the attack, police detained a suspect — a man holding Afghan citizenship who, according to the Focus news portal, already has several prior run-ins with police. The attacker's motive has not yet been established.

Jewish community reacts

Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, sharply condemned the incident. He noted that the attack on the synagogue once again occurred during a period of Jewish holidays. "I am deeply troubled by the calm with which the attacker in Wuppertal carried out this assault in broad daylight. There is not a trace of guilt or shame," Schuster said.

Source: novinky.cz