A powerful bomb exploded outside the main synagogue in Antwerp late Monday night causing extensive damage but no casualties. The building was unoccupied at the time.
A police spokesman said the explosive was placed outside the main entrance. No messages were found and as of late afternoon Tuesday no group claimed responsibility. Two caretakers who live behind the synagogue said they heard no suspicious noises during the night.
The bomb destroyed the synagogue gate and shattered its windows and those of neighboring buildings. Antwerp has a large Jewish community. Six years ago, terrorists attacked a group of Jewish children waiting to board a bus for a summer camp. One child was killed and a dozen were seriously injured.
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