France synagogue blast: Police detain key suspect

French police have arrested a person who is suspected of setting on fire and causing an explosion outside a synagogue in the southern French town of La Grande-Motte.

The country’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said “the alleged perpetrator” was detained on Saturday.

The Minister praised the police for showing ‘great professionalism’.

“The alleged perpetrator of the arson attack on the synagogue has been arrested. Thanks to the police, and mainly the RAID, who intervened with great professionalism despite his gunshots,” the Minister posted on X.

The suspect was shot and injured by the police after he opened fire on the officers after they tried to capture him in Nimes, local media reports said.

The suspect was arrested after a police officer was injured following a blast outside the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the seaside city of La Grande-Motte.

The police officer’s injuries are not said to be life-threatening, following the blast between 08:00 and 08:30 local time (07:00-07:30 BST) on Saturday, reported BBC.

During the blast, five people, including a rabbi, were present inside the synagogue.

According to reports, the lone attacker, who was carrying a Palestine flag, set multiple cars on fire which were present in the parking lot located close to the Synagogue Beth Yaacov.

One of the cars reportedly exploded.

French anti-terrorism prosecutors earlier confirmed in an email to CNN that they had taken charge of the investigation.

A statement from the anti-terrorism prosecutor said that the explosion was caused by a bottle of gasoline inside one of the vehicles set alight, reported the American news channel.

The French Jewish community has been reportedly facing a spike in harassment ever since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out last October.

French President Emmanuel Macron calls the attack a terror act.

In his X post, Macron said: “Thoughts for the faithful of the synagogue of La Grande-Motte and all the Jews of our country. Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this terrorist act and protect places of worship.”

He said the fight against ‘anti-Semitism’ is a constant battle.