The man arrested is a Moroccan citizen. The man, who has previous convictions for petty crimes, denies any involvement in the incident.
The three attackers were said to speak 'poor French'. Earlier the police seemed to discount the notion that 'radical Islam' was involved, instead thinking the attackers came from the extreme right (though one of the attackers had been wearing a Che Guevara shirt).
The attack in Nimes came a couple of days after another attack in Strasbourg (Strasbourg: Jewish man attacked by mentally ill Muslims)
A man suspected of playing a major role in the attack onan elderly Jewish man in southern France is being held for questioning by police.
The “No. 1 suspect” in a May 2 attack in the town of Nimes on a 78-year-old Jewish man was arrested Tuesday and is being questioned, a Nimes police commissioner, Yannick Janas, told the French news agency AFP. The suspect, whose name was not released, is in his 30s and lives in the area.
The victim was attacked with tear gas not far from his synagogue. One of the synagogue doors was vandalized with the words "F--- the Jew” in French slang.
Police are looking for two other suspects who were seen on video surveillance cameras posted outside the synagogue.
(more)
Sources: Midi Libre 1, 2 (French), JTA (English)
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