January 12, 2006
A man has stabbed at least nine men at Moscow's Bronnaya Synagogue just before the evening service when the temple was full of worshippers. The man, identified by police as Alexander Koptsev, 20, struck out at random before being pushed to the ground by rabbi Yitzhak Kogan, who was stabbed as well, and his son. One man was in critical condition and at least four others are in serious condition, medical officials said. Among those wounded were Russians, Israelis, an American and a resident of Tajikistan. Witnesses said the attacker, who looked like a skinhead, shouted, "I will kill Jews" as he went on the rampage. Condemnation of the incident followed immediately. Russia's foreign ministry said that it would continue to fight any manifestation of anti-Semitism. The attack at the Chabad synagogue came amid an increase in the activity of hate groups in Russia and in the number of racist crimes. Jewish leaders said the attack should serve as a clear message to Russian authorities and the public to fight racism. The Russian prosecutor-general has taken the investigation under his personal supervision, an office spokesman told "Interfax".
