A terrorist armed with three knives attempted to enter two synagogues in the Belgian city of Antwerp this week during the two-day holiday of Shavuot, but was stopped by alert security guards both times.
The terrorist, a man reportedly of Iraqi descent, pretended to be Jewish, wearing a yarmulka.
On the first day of the two-day holiday, the terrorist attempted to enter a Chabad synagogue, and on the second day, he tried to enter the Shomrei Hadas synagogue, according to B’Hadre Haredim news outlet, and a report by the CKJGA Jewish civil patrol, “Shmira.”
Both times he was refused entry after arousing suspicion of the security guards at the entrance.
The second time, the strictly Orthodox security guards called police who were stationed nearby, who then searched his pockets and discovered three knives of varying sizes.
Police arrested the suspect on the grounds of carrying illegal weapons and attempting to enter the synagogue.
The Jewish civil patrol also noted several other incidents over the holiday in which the Jews of Antwerp were threatened.
In one case, a “Middle Eastern male” was following and threatening Jews on the street in the city. He was stopped by members of the patrol and later was arrested by police. “The suspect lives outside Antwerp and had no legitimate reason to be in the vicinity of our community,” CKJGA said. However, the same suspect had been present during a Lag B’Omer parade and “verbally assaulted” community members as well. He was chased away after questioning by members of the Shmira patrol and police.
On Monday night, two “Middle Eastern youngsters” threatened Jewish children at a park with a box cutter before parents stopped the attack. Police arrested the “youngsters” with the knife.