Sweden – Police on Friday arrested two youths on suspicion of vandalism after an explosive device detonated and damaged a Jewish congregation center in Sweden’s third largest city.
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No one was injured in the early-morning blast which broke windows of the entrance to the center in the southern city of Malmo. The attack comes amid growing safety concerns for the country’s small Jewish community which says it feels increasingly threatened.
Police said it is still questioning the two men, who are both in their teens and have denied involvement, but did not give details of any suspected motive.
The Simon Wiesenthal Centre, an international non-government organization that acts to fight anti-Semitism around the world and which has warned members of the Jewish community against visiting the city, condemned the attack, calling for “permanent police presence at Malmo Jewish institutions.”
Malmo, which has a large immigrant Muslim community, saw a surge in hate crimes against Jews after Israel’s invasion of Gaza in 2009.
Last year, the government earmarked funds to combat the problem.
An estimated 20,000 Jews live in Sweden.