Unidentified individuals on Tuesday phoned in what turned out to be a false bomb threat at the Great Synagogue of Brussels, Belgium, leading to the building’s brief evacuation until the police’s bomb squad determined that there was no danger, a Jewish community security source said.
“A bomb threat was received by phone targeting the Great Synagogue of Brussels,” the source told JNS after reports emerged in the Belgian media that the street of the Jewish house of worship was blocked for traffic.
“The Chief Rabbi of Brussels, Albert Guigui, was instructed by the police not to come to the synagogue while security checks were carried out. The security perimeter was later lifted after the search produced no results. No explosive device was found,” the source said. Police are investigating who placed the call, but no arrests were reported in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The Great Synagogue of Brussels is normally not open to ad hoc visits. A permanent security detail on site questions unfamiliar visitors, who are often asked to register in advance for a visit.
