Photo: Israel Police
An American tourist in his 40s was arrested in Israel after smashing a pair of ancient Roman statues that were on display in a museum in Jerusalem.
The man, who was not identified, smashed the head of Athena from the 2nd century CE and a statue representing the Roman god Nemesis that has been dated to 210-211 CE, the Times of Israel reported.
Officials said that restoration experts at the Israel Museum are examining the broken pieces to see if they can be fixed.
The suspect told the police he smashed the statues because he considered them "to be idolatrous and contrary to the Torah."
"This is a shocking case of the destruction of cultural values," said Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "We see with concern the fact that cultural values are being destroyed by religiously motivated extremists."
The man's lawyer claims that he did not act out of religious extremism, arguing that he is suffering from mental illness. The suspect has agreed to undergo a psychiatric examination.