Eight held for holiday isle synagogue bombing

French intelligence agents have arrested eight people in connection with the bombing of a Tunisian synagogue which killed 19 people.

Most of the victims in the April 11 attack on the synagogue on the Mediterranean isle of Djerba, were German tourists.

Germany has said the explosion of a gas-laden truck outside the historic synagogue may have been carried out by members of al-Qaida.

US officials also have said they have some indications the blast was connected to Osama bin Laden's terror network.

Police said the eight suspects had been held in Lyon, France, and are being questioned by agents from the counter-intelligence service, the DST.

The 2,000-year-old Ghriba synagogue, the oldest in Africa, was packed with tourists at the time of the blast.

The Tunisian government initially maintained the explosion was accidental, but then acknowledged it was "a premeditated criminal act."

Authorities have said they believe the blast was carried out by a Tunisian, Nizar Naouar, and an unidentified accomplice who also lived in the North African country.

Officials said Naouar is believed to have died in the explosion, but they have not said what happened to his alleged accomplice.

A group linked to al-Qaida that took credit for the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania has claimed responsibility for the Tunisia blast.