Tunisian courts on Monday handed down prison sentences of up to 15 years to five individuals connected to the May 2023 attack on the Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, AFP reported. The attack left five people dead, including two Jewish worshippers - cousins Aviel Hadad and Ben Hadad - and three members of the National Guard.
The assailant, a National Guard officer, was killed during the attack. A student and the attacker's fiancée were among those sentenced. The student received a three-year prison sentence, while the fiancée was sentenced to eight years for charges of "complicity in homicide" and "membership in a terrorist group." According to Nizar Ayed, a lawyer for several victims, the assailant acted "as a lone wolf."
Two other defendants were sentenced to seven and 15 years in prison, with the latter sentence being more severe due to the defendant's flight from justice. The assailant’s sister, currently out on bail, was sentenced to one year in prison.
The defense team has indicated that they will appeal the sentences. Mustapha Mlaouah, the lawyer for the fiancée, confirmed that an appeal would be filed.
Before Tunisia's independence in 1956, the country was home to over 100,000 Jews. Today, the Jewish community has dwindled to around 1,500 members, most of whom live on the island of Djerba.