Jerusalem district police officers overnight Monday arrested a 28-year-old resident of Beit Shemesh who is suspected of having set fire to a building used by a synagogue in Beit Shemesh Sunday night, causing a fire and damage to the building and sacred books.
In the police investigation, it was also revealed that the man is also suspected of acts of burglary and theft that happened earlier at the same location.
The arrest was carried out after a 100 report to the police emergency center of a fire in a building used by a synagogue in Ramat Beit Shemesh. At the time of the fire, there were no people inside the building so there were no injuries.
Police forces from the Beit Shemesh station and fire brigade teams arrived at the scene and worked to put out the fire and collect witnesses and evidence.
The fire damaged the building of the synagogue, as well as the synagogue’s ark and the sacred Sifrei Torah inside.
An investigation was launched by the Beit Shemesh station, with the assistance of a fire investigator, and it soon became clear that there was suspicion of deliberate arson.
By the findings of the investigation so far, which also raised suspicion of threats and a burglary several days before the arson, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of arson, breaking and entering, theft, threats, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
At the end of his interrogation, the suspect was imprisoned, and on Monday morning he was brought to remand his detention at the Jerusalem Magistrate Court. The suspect’s detention was extended by four days, until June 27, following the needs of the investigation and the need to prepare his indictment.
