Police Probe Anti-Semitic Motives

Alain Ghozland was discovered dead in his home in Creteil on Tuesday morning. Photo: facebook

French police are investigating the death of a 73-year-old Jewish leader found dead in his apartment in a suburb of Paris.

Police are probing the possibility of “anti-Semitic aggression” behind the apparent murder of Alain Ghozland, a spokesperson for French Chief Rabbi Haim Korsia told the Algemeiner on Tuesday.

Originally from Algeria, Ghozland was a politician and city councilman in the heavily Jewish suburb of Creteil. His body was discovered Tuesday morning by his brother who came to look for him after he failed to show up for prayers at synagogue Monday.

According to Europe 1 police are investigating all possible motives including ant-Semitism and armed burglary. The house appeared to have been rummaged through, and Ghozland’s car was missing, according to Europe 1, although law enforcement said it did not look as though the front door had been forced open.

An autopsy will be performed Wednesday morning to determine the cause of death, Europe 1 reported.

The incident comes a day after a Jewish man was attacked by a Turkish youth wielding a machete outside a Hebrew academy in the southern French city of Marseilles. The teenage assailant was arrested quickly and reportedly told authorities he was acting on behalf of ISIS.

About a year ago the Creteil suburb made headlines after a young Jewish couple was attacked at home by three armed robbers who raped the woman and stole the couple’s valuables while making anti-Semitic slurs. The French prime and interior ministers condemned the attacks.

Story here.