In a concerning incident, a man suspected of initiating a fire in the garden of a synagogue in the eastern part of Tunisia has been apprehended and is now under investigation for allegedly targeting a Jewish house of worship. The incident took place last Sunday in the courtyard of a synagogue located in the eastern port city of Sfax, as reported by Hichem ben Ayad, the public prosecutor.
The authorities promptly initiated an investigation into the matter, leading to the arrest of a suspect, described as a public official in his late 40s. According to Ben Ayad, the suspect is currently undergoing questioning to determine whether the fire, characterized as a “criminal act” by the prosecutor, was premeditated and intentionally aimed at the Jewish house of worship.
Fortunately, there were no casualties resulting from the fire, which was successfully extinguished on the same day. Moreover, Ben Ayad stated that the blaze did not cause significant damage to the synagogue building. It was noted that the synagogue seemed to be unoccupied at the time of the incident.
This unsettling event comes just months after a tragic shooting attack occurred in May at the historic Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, where five people lost their lives. Tunisian authorities identified a national guardsman as the perpetrator, emphasizing that the assailant deliberately targeted the ancient synagogue in a premeditated act.
The incident raises concerns about the safety and security of religious institutions, particularly those belonging to minority communities, and underscores the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to prevent such acts of violence. The authorities are expected to continue their investigation to determine the motives behind the alleged arson attack at the Tunisian synagogue.
