5 detained over fire bombs thrown at Tunisia synagogues

TUNIS, Tunisia – A judge in Tunisia has ordered the detention of five people suspected of throwing Molotov cocktails at two synagogues during protests over price hikes.

A court spokesman told The Associated Press on Thursday that the judge in Medenine ordered the suspects held pending trial. The suspects all are between 19 and 22 years old.

The Medenine court spokesman says early evidence makes authorities think the incident on the island of Djerba wasn’t terror-related. It happened during days of protests and rioting across Tunisia last week.

Djerba is home to Tunisia’s main Jewish community. The 2,500-year-old Ghriba synagogue, which was targeted in a 2002 extremist attack, is located on the island. The fire bombs were thrown at smaller prayer sites.