Building next to synagogue in New York evacuated due to illegal tunnel

By Mucahit Oktay

NEW YORK (AA) — The building adjacent to a historical synagogue in New York was evacuated Saturday due to damage caused by an illegal tunnel dug by a group of Jewish students.

To evacuate residents, New York City officials hung an eviction notice on the door of the Brooklyn building, located in the neighborhood of Crown Heights, over harm to its structure's foundation.

Teams from the New York Police Department stood guard in and around the synagogue of the Jewish Chabad-Lubavitch organization, blocking entry into the building.

While a police investigation continues, the reason why the tunnels were secretly dug under the Jewish place of worship remain unknown.

Claims emerged on social media that the tunnels were dug for worship in secret during the COVID-19 pandemic or for women to sneak into the synagogue.

The detained students did not admit to being guilty at a court hearing and were released without bail.

The New York Police Department uncovered the illegal tunnel under the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar