On April 11, 2002, a natural gas truck fitted with explosives drove past security barriers at the ancient Ghriba Synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba. The truck detonated at the front of the synagogue, killing 14 German tourists, six Tunisians, and one Frenchman. More than 30 others were wounded.
Although the attack was initially called an accident, as Tunisia, France, and Germany investigated, it became clear the attack was deliberate. A 24 year-old man named Nizar Nawar apparently was the suicide bomber, who carried out the attack with the aid of a relative. An audio tape later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it "sent Germany a message."
The history of the synagogue is reported to go back about 2000 years, making it the oldest synagogue in Africa and one of the oldest ones in the world.
The synagogue is the destination of an annual pilgrimage of many Tunisian Jews after the celebration of Passover.
On April 11, 2002, a truck full of explosives was detonated close to the synagogue, killing 21 people (of whom 14 were German tourists).
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