Man arrested after suspected Quran burning in French mosque

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - A man suspected of burning a copy of the Quran inside a mosque in Villeurbanne, near Lyon, France, was arrested late Tuesday evening, authorities said on Wednesday.

The suspect, an adult male, was taken into custody, and placed under formal police interrogation, the Lyon public prosecutor's office confirmed, the French broadcaster RMC reported.

The man is described as "psychologically fragile" by both the prosecutor and a police source.

The incident occurred early Monday morning, shortly before 4 am local time, at the Errahma Mosque as it was opening for morning prayers.

The suspect reportedly entered the mosque with the intent to steal, and then set a copy of the Quran on fire before fleeing the scene.

The mosque’s leaders, along with Villeurbanne Mayor Cedric Van Styvendael, condemned the act as "an extremely serious Islamophobic attack."

"This is an intolerable desecration, and we call for justice to be served," mosque officials said in a statement.