(JTA) — A man who claimed to be the cousin of Mohammed Merah was arrested for allegedly making a threatening phone call to the French Jewish school where Merah killed four.
French police arrested a 20-year-old French national of Moroccan origin, Reuters reported, over the weekend near Vesoul, a city in eastern France near Strasbourg. The man, who was not named, will be arraigned Monday.
According to SPCJ, the French Jewish community’s security service, the man called the Ohr Hatorah school in Toulouse on Sept. 16 and told a secretary, “I am Mohammed Merah’s cousin and I’m coming over tonight to kill you.”
Merah in March 2012 gunned down a rabbi and three children at the school, which changed its name from Ozar Hatorah after the attack.
According to Reuters, the suspect was living with his mother. The report did not say whether he is in fact related to Merah, who was killed in a standoff with police days three days the shooting.
SPCJ said police have arrested several callers who threatened violence against the school following the shooting.
French police believe Merah planned the shooting with his older brother, Abelkader, who is in prison awaiting trial.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
