An Iranian Stands Trial for Attempted Arson of Bochum Synagogue
An Iranian has been brought to trial for attempting to set fire to the Bochum synagogue of Jews in Germany.
A 36-year-old Iranian-German individual who attempted to set fire to the Jewish synagogue in the city of Bochum last November was arrested by police and transferred to prison. His trial hearing is scheduled to begin on September 12 (September 21 in the Iranian calendar) after months of detention, and the court proceedings will continue until the end of November.
The regional high court announced on Monday, September 4, that the man had been ordered to throw a Molotov cocktail at the synagogue. According to the German newspaper “Bild,” the attack order was issued by Iranian government authorities. Since the synagogue was under heavy police protection, the suspect became frightened and threw the Molotov cocktail at a school located near the synagogue instead. The man had intended to recruit an acquaintance to carry out the attack, but the acquaintance not only refused his request but also reported him to the police.
According to reports from the German national television network, the suspect in this case was in contact with a person named “Ramin Yektaparvast,” who was involved in the shooting at the old synagogue in the city of Essen. Ramin Yektaparvast is responsible for an operational command of attacks in Germany on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and he fled to Iran two years ago. He was also the founder of the Mönchengladbach chapter of the “Hells Angels” motorcycle and rock club, and he is currently under international arrest warrant and legal prosecution on murder charges in rock circles.
