HANIA, Crete, Greece (WJC)–A Greek and two British men have been arrested in Hania, on the Greek island of Crete, following suspicion that they carried out two arson attacks again the town’s medieval synagogue on 5 and 16 January that caused significant damage.
The three – a Greek aged 24 and two Britons aged 33 and 23 respectively –were scheduled to appear Friday before the prosecutor, local media report. Two US citizens are also wanted by police in connection with the attacks.
A total of 2,500 books were destroyed in two fires, some of them quite rare, according to the director of the synagogue, Hanaan Nikos Stavroulakis, who called the authorities to act against such anti-Semitic and racist acts.
The Etz Hayyim Synagogue is the only remaining one on Crete, and the Jewish community in Hania was wiped out during the Second World War.
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress