Five Montreal residents were arrested early Friday morning in connection with the firebombing at a Montreal Jewish school last month.
Four males between the ages of 18 and 20 and one woman in her 30s were arrested at 6:15 a.m. Montreal police would not specify where they were arrested or release any names.
"We are not mentioning much at this point because it's not over," said Montreal police media relations officer Ian Lafrenière, adding that there may be more arrests following questioning of the suspects.
"My reaction is the same as my whole community, we are quite relieved," said Jeffrey Boro, president of the Quebec region of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
"Obviously there is a great deal of discomfort and it is heightened by the fact that it is not just one individual," Mr. Boro told globeandmail.com, "It was not the act of one drunkard, many people got together and thought that this was a good idea."
And if Montreal police arrest "more than 5 [people] it becomes something devastating," he said.
On April 5, the library of United Talmud Torah elementary school, Canada's oldest Jewish day school, was destroyed by the firebomb. A message left behind proclaimed that the act of violence was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Hamas leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin.
The five people, who are facing arson, mischief and conspiracy charges will appear in court on Saturday.
Mr. Boro did not know if any CJC representatives would attend the arraignment because it would be on the Sabbath, a holy day for those of the Jewish faith.