Fire at the Rouen synagogue: the profile of the attacker

The attacker of the synagogue in Rouen (Seine-Maritime), who tried to set it on fire on Friday May 17, was domiciled in a housing estate in the northern districts of the city. Friday morning, a search was carried out at his home, as part of an investigation to try to understand who this man was and what his real motivations were. He was a 29-year-old Algerian who arrived in France in 2022. His application for a residence permit for medical reasons was rejected in 2023. He was then subject to an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF ), which he had contested through an appeal. This appeal was rejected in January 2024.

According to the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, he had been included in the wanted persons file for three months, but was not listed as S. According to information from France Télévisions, no sign of Islamist radicalization was found in his home. , but investigators favor the anti-Semitic motive. Friday evening, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office did not take up the matter. Two investigations are open: one for violence and arson due to religion, and the other for homicide by a person in authority, the suspect having been shot dead.