A suspect was placed in police custody Thursday in the investigation into the attempted fire of the Morlaix mosque, Saturday morning in the middle of prayer, said the Brest prosecutor's office, confirming information from local newspapers.
“
I confirm that a person has been taken into custody at the Morlaix police station
,” Brest prosecutor Camille Miansoni told AFP, who did not wish to give more details on the profile of the suspect.
“
It’s too early to communicate.
We must check whether the suspicions against him are confirmed or not
,” added the magistrate.
Saturday January 14, shortly before 8:00 a.m., a man doused the door of the mosque with an flammable liquid before setting it on fire, when worshipers were gathered there for morning prayers.
The fire was quickly extinguished and caused no casualties.
The Brest public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for "
attempted destruction by dangerous means
", entrusted to the Finistère departmental security, in this case.
“Convinced it’s an attack”
“
Support for the Muslims of Finistère following the damage to the Morlaix mosque this morning
,” responded Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin on the social network X. The French Council of Muslim Worship, which “
strongly
” condemned
this “
attempted arson
”, requested that the criminal investigation “
be reclassified and that the anti-terrorism prosecution take charge
”.
“
We are all convinced that it was an attack, which was certainly aborted, but it is an attack
,” Méryème Postic, president of the Ti Salam Montroulez association, which manages the mosque, told AFP.
“
The objective was to burn the mosque with people inside.
What do you call that?
», she asked herself.
A support rally is planned for Friday at 2:15 p.m. in front of the mosque, located in Saint-Martin-des-Champs, on the outskirts of Morlaix.