Five charged in France for attacking Jewish family

Four men and one woman were Friday charged in France over a brutal attack on a Jewish family in a Paris suburb, judicial sources said.

Police patrol in Paris Reuters/Charles Platiau

One man of 50, reportedly already known to police, three younger men and a 19-year-old woman allegedly took part in the September 8 assault at Livry-Gargan, northeast of Paris.

The group are accused of armed robbery and extortion and religiously-motivated assault.

After breaking into the home of 78-year-old Roger Pinto, the group confined Pinto, the chairman of a local Jewish association, and his wife and son. They were beaten and then threatened with death.

The wife managed to free herself a few hours later.

During the attack, the gang reputedly told the family "You're Jewish, so you have money," having discovered some personal possessions indicating their faith.

After the attack, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb blasted what he called a "hateful" assault which "appears to be directly linked to the victims' religion."

Judicial sources said the gang were fingered after investigators sifted video surveillance footage and found traces of their DNA at the property.