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U.S. NEWS Monday 16 SepteMber 2019

Police: No sign that Duluth

synagogue fire was hate crime

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — A fire tion and the entire Jewish said.
that destroyed a historic community. Police previously have had
synagogue in northeastern "This has been a very, very "multiple contacts" with
Minnesota doesn't appear difficult week for this com- Amiot, but nothing that rose
to have been a hate crime, munity," Larson told report- to the level of arson, the
authorities said Sunday in ers. Phillip Sher, past presi- police chief said. Authori-
discussing the arrest of a dent of the synagogue, ties are unaware if Amiot
suspect. would not speculate on a has had previous contact
Matthew James Amiot, 36, motive. "We're not out for with the synagogue. He re-
of Duluth, was arrested Fri- vengeance. All I can find mains in jail, and the police
day in the fire last week at out of this event is sadness chief said Amiot probably
the Adas Israel Congrega- for everyone," he said. does not have a defense
tion in downtown Duluth, Sher said it was "extremely attorney yet. Eight of 14 To-
the city's police chief, Mike sad" for the congregation rah scrolls, the holy books This undated booking photo from the St. Louis (Minnesota)
Tusken, said at a news con- not to have a home for of Judaism, that were in the County Sheriff’s Office shows Matthew James Amiot, who was
ference. the Sabbath on Saturday. synagogue were saved.q arrested Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, in connection to last week's fire
Tusken said he has no rea- The charred ruins were re- at the Adas Israel Congregation, in Duluth, Minn.
son to believe the fire was leased to the congrega-
a hate crime, although the tion on Thursday, and the
investigation is ongoing. congregation is exploring
Police are recommending how to remove the build-
that prosecutors charge ing, he said.
Amiot, who has no per- Steve Hunegs, executive
manent address, with first- director of the Jewish Com-
degree arson. A criminal munity Relations Council
complaint is expected to of Minnesota and the Da-
be filed mid-week, he said. kotas, said in a statement
The blaze started in a shed Sunday that while authori-
outside the synagogue ties don't think the fire was
and spread into the build- a hate crime, "the destruc-
ing early Monday, fire Chief tion of Adas Israel Congre-
Shawn Krizaj said. No acce- gation remains a tragedy
lerants were found. for generations of Jewish
Investigators from the U.S. Duluthians." He added that
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobac- the group has heard from
co, Firearms and Explosives families with decades of
were called in to assist in history within the congre-
the investigation, which is gation. "We understand
standard when fires break that our Jewish community
out in places of worship. feels uneasy in this current
One firefighter who was political and social environ-
struck by falling debris was ment where synagogues,
taken to a hospital, treated mosques, and predomi-
and released. That firefight- nantly black churches
er is still recovering from a have been attacked in re-
concussion and doing well, cent years. The image of a
Krizaj said. house of worship ablaze is
Mayor Emily Larson said the a searing reminder of the
city continues to offer "our challenges we face with ris-
heartfelt condolences" to ing anti-Semitism and big-
the Adas Israel congrega- otry in this country," Hunegs