Attack in Essen: arrest after shots at the synagogue

The shots at the old synagogue in Essen could only have been part of several anti-Semitic crimes in the Ruhr area. There are now three possible crime scenes – and a first arrest.

Shortly after the shots were fired at the building complex of the Old Synagogue in meal NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul spoke of an “attack”. Now it is clear that the crime could have a much larger extent. Because on Friday it became known that there were other incidents in the same night Ruhr area have happened. There was also a first arrest.

Reul said on Friday in the interior committee of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament: “We’re not just talking about the old synagogue in Essen, where something happened on the night of November 17th to 18th.” This was not the only offense in this context.

There is “possibly” a connection between these acts. The new findings could put Essen’s act in a “different light,” says Reul.

First arrest

In addition, Reul announced a first investigation success. “There has already been an arrest presumably for someone involved in this context.” However, he did not provide any further information, citing the ongoing investigation.

A short time later, the Düsseldorf public prosecutor announced that a 35-year-old German-Iranian had already been arrested last week and is now in custody. He is accused of using another person as an accomplice in an arson attack on the synagogue in Dortmund to win. However, this person refused and went to the police instead.

Molotov cocktail near the Bochum synagogue

Nothing actually happened at the synagogue in Dortmund. Instead, on the same night that the shots were fired at the Old Synagogue in Essen, Bochum an incident. There a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the Hildegardis school. There was fire damage to the facade.

One detail is important in this context: the school borders directly on the Bochum synagogue. According to the Attorney General’s Office, the German-Iranian arrested is suspected of being responsible for this act – in addition to inciting serious arson in Dortmund. In an interview with WDR, the headmaster said he assumed that the school had been confused and that the attack was aimed at the Jewish community.

The central question now is whether the 35-year-old also had something to do with the Essen shots – or whether the temporal and local connection is just a coincidence. The Attorney General’s Office says: “The object of the investigation is in particular whether there is a connection to the crime in Essen.” Reference is made to the ongoing investigations.

We report on the topic in the current broadcasts of WDR television and WDR radio

Source: wdr.de