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| Britons held over synagogue fires | Britons held over synagogue fires |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two British men have been arrested in connection with arson attacks on a medieval synagogue on the Greek island of Crete. | Two British men have been arrested in connection with arson attacks on a medieval synagogue on the Greek island of Crete. |
| The two men, who have not been named, are being held in the coastal town of Hania. A Greek man is also in custody and two Americans are being sought. | |
| Hania's Etz Hayyim synagogue has been targeted by arsonists twice this month. | Hania's Etz Hayyim synagogue has been targeted by arsonists twice this month. |
| The UK embassy in Athens said two British men had been arrested on charges of arson. | The UK embassy in Athens said two British men had been arrested on charges of arson. |
| The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens said, according to the police, the men are aged 23 and 33 and are nightclub waiters in the seaside town. | The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens said, according to the police, the men are aged 23 and 33 and are nightclub waiters in the seaside town. |
| Jewish monument | Jewish monument |
| Police said they were arrested after a 24-year-old Greek man confessed, our correspondent added. | Police said they were arrested after a 24-year-old Greek man confessed, our correspondent added. |
| The British men have been offered assistance by consul staff on the island. | The British men have been offered assistance by consul staff on the island. |
| The first attack happened on 5 January but it was the second attack on Saturday 16 January which caused extensive damage to the synagogue's wooden structure, its archive material and technical equipment. | |
| The Etz Hayyim synagogue, which dates back to the Middle Ages, is the only surviving Jewish monument on the island of Crete. | The Etz Hayyim synagogue, which dates back to the Middle Ages, is the only surviving Jewish monument on the island of Crete. |
| It was restored in the late 1990s and has since become a memorial and a tourist attraction. | It was restored in the late 1990s and has since become a memorial and a tourist attraction. |
| By 1941 most of the Jews in Crete had emigrated, leaving only the Hania community of about 270 people. | By 1941 most of the Jews in Crete had emigrated, leaving only the Hania community of about 270 people. |
| They were deported by Nazi invaders in 1944 and died when their ship was bombed and sunk by the Allies. | They were deported by Nazi invaders in 1944 and died when their ship was bombed and sunk by the Allies. |