(JTA) — Five alleged members of a far-right cell — including a teenager — planned to target the main umbrella group of French Jews, according to a French television channel.
BFMTV reported Tuesday that one of the targets envisioned by the suspects, who had been arrested between September and May, was the annual dinner of the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish communities. They also targeted a “house of worship,” a police source told AFP. Muslim groups also were among the potential targets, that report said.
The plans were not detailed, BFMTV reported. One of the suspects is 15 years old. The suspects met online to discuss their plans. BFMTV did not indicate the source for the information about the CRIF dinner being a potential target.
Organized violence by far-right groups occurs occasionally against Muslims in France. Cases involving Jewish targets are extremely rare in the country, where virtually all anti-Semitic violence is committed by Muslims or people from Muslim families, according to the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism.
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