Church volunteer admits to setting French cathedral on fireJuly 27, 2020 - 14:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The lawyer of a volunteer at a Gothic cathedral in western France's Nantes town said he confessed to setting the building on fire that severely damaged its 17th-century organ and blew out stained glass, Al Jazeera reports. The 39-year-old accused, an asylum seeker from Rwanda who has lived in France for several years, was arrested earlier this month after laboratory analysis determined that arson was the likely cause of the blaze, the local prosecutor's office said. "My client has cooperated," lawyer Quentin Chabert told the Presse-Ocean newspaper on Sunday, July 26, without elaborating on motives for attempting to burn down the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. "He bitterly regrets his actions ... My client is consumed with remorse," Chabert said. Prosecutors opened an arson inquiry after the early morning fire on July 18 after finding that it broke out in three different places in the church, which the volunteer had locked up the night before. He was taken in for questioning the next day but later released without charge. Photo. Reuters Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |