A man with emotional problems killed himself when he parked his car near an Italian synagogue today, set the vehicle on fire and blew it up.

The prefect of Modena, Italia Fortunati, said all indications pointed to a “desperate” act by a Jordanian man known to have “serious problems,” including alcohol abuse, financial and mental problems.

“He was suffering from depressive crisis, he was out of work,” he said. “I repeat, it’s a gesture of a desperate man.”

Fortunati stressed that no explosives were found in the car.

Police spokesman Cinzia Ricciardi said the man apparently set fire to a tank of flammable liquid inside the car, and that the flames then made the main petrol tank explode.

The blast blew out some nearby windows, including several in the synagogue, and caused minor damage to the roof of the building.

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