Liège, Belgium
Reuters
—
A bomb exploded at a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liege early Monday, with authorities saying it was an anti-Semitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The explosion occurred around 4 a.m. (11 p.m. ET Sunday) and blew out windows at the synagogue and a building on the other side of the street, public broadcaster RTBF said.
The cause was unclear, but prosecutors said the case had been turned over to federal authorities, which typically investigate cases related to terrorism and organized crime.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described the explosion as a “despicable act of anti-Semitism directly targeting Belgium’s Jewish community.”
He said safety measures around similar locations would continue to be strengthened.
Eitan Bergman, vice-chairman of the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations of Belgium (CCOJB), said it was shocking that the synagogue had been targeted.
“Liège has a very small but vibrant Jewish community and is where I grew up. Today, the emotions of members of the community are a mixture of sadness, worry and deep shock,” he told Reuters.
Police closed off a mostly residential street on the banks of the Meuse River, opposite Liege city centre.
Federal prosecutors did not release details of the case.
