Tunisia jails five over deadly 2023 Djerba synagogue attack

Tunisian courts have sentenced five defendants to prison terms of up to 15 years for their roles in the deadly May 2023 attack on the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba that killed five people, a lawyer confirmed Monday.

The assailant's fiancée received eight years for "complicity in homicide," while a student was sentenced to three years.

The attacker's sister received one year. Two other defendants were sentenced to seven and 15 years, with the harsher penalty for one who fled justice, according to lawyer Nizar Ayed.

The attack

On May 9, 2023, a National Guard officer killed three colleagues at the island's port before driving to the synagogue, where he shot dead two Jewish worshippers—Tunisian Aviel Haddad and his French cousin Benjamin.

Several officers were wounded, with two later dying.

Lone wolf or network?

Lawyer Ayed described the assailant as acting "as a lone wolf." The student's mother insisted her family merely rented to him: "Our generosity backfired on us." Defense lawyers plan to appeal.

Tunisia's Jewish community, once over 100,000, now numbers about 1,500, mostly in Djerba.