Mississippi fire suspect called the temple a 'synagogue of Satan' [View all]
Source: The Forward
A man who confessed to setting fire to a historic Mississippi temple on Saturday told law enforcement it was the “synagogue of Satan.”
Stephen Spencer Pittman was charged Monday with damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive. Security camera footage from Beth Israel Congregation — the only synagogue in Jackson, the state capital — showed a hooded figure pouring accelerant inside the building’s library before lighting a fire.
The fire ripped through Beth Israel shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, destroying the library, two Torahs, and offices, leaving parts of the surrounding building blackened and charred. The main sanctuary and five Torah scrolls inside sustained smoke damage. The building also houses the offices of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.
Pittman was arrested Saturday evening, reportedly with severe burns. He confessed to his father, who contacted the FBI, according to an affidavit obtained by the Forward.
Read more: https://forward.com/fast-forward/796503/stephen-spencer-pittman-mississippi-synagogue-fire/
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