According to Paris anti-terror prosecutors, two suspects involved in an attack on a synagogue in southern France over the weekend were charged late Wednesday and remain in custody.
The charges followed an incident in which two cars were set on fire in a parking area beneath a synagogue near the seaside resort of La Grande Motte. The resulting explosion occurred just 30 minutes before the Saturday service and injured a police officer
EHK, a legal resident of France, was previously unknown to the police.
In a statement, PNAT reported that EHK had been "radicalized in the practice of his religion over several months" and had long held "a hatred for Jews, particularly related to the situation in Palestine
The public prosecutor stated that EHK "admitted to the facts during the initial hearing" and claimed he acted in support of the Palestinian cause, denying any intent to kill but acknowledging that he intended to instill fear.
Another man, allegedly connected to EHK, was charged by the PNAT with criminal association for terrorism. The prosecutor described this individual as someone with whom EHK had "shared his plan."
A third man was charged with transporting the alleged arsonist and was placed under judicial supervision.
PNAT announced that the investigation would continue as part of a judicial inquiry.
On Saturday morning, CCTV footage near the Beth Yaacov synagogue showed a suspect with his face uncovered, draped in a Palestinian flag, attempting to start fires. The suspect did not try to enter the synagogue but instead set fires around various points of the building while five people, including the rabbi, were inside.
Sources close to the investigation reported that the suspect left the scene on foot and was later arrested in the town of Nimes, approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) away.