BELGRADE: Serbian police have arrested 11 individuals linked to a series of hate-motivated attacks in France and Germany, including the placing of pig heads near mosques and defacing Jewish sites. Authorities said the suspects, all Serbian nationals, were trained by an individual currently at large, allegedly acting under the direction of a foreign intelligence service.
The group’s primary objective was to promote hatred and violence based on religious and cultural differences, according to Serbia’s Interior Ministry. Nine pig heads, considered impure in Islam, were discovered outside mosques in Paris and its surrounding areas earlier in September, sparking outrage and concerns over rising anti-Muslim sentiment.
In late April, several Jewish sites in Paris, including the Holocaust Memorial, were defaced with green paint. Three Serb nationals have been jailed in France as part of the ongoing investigation. The arrested group will face charges related to racial discrimination and espionage.
The arrests were carried out in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, and Velika Plana, with assistance from local security agencies.
