A synagogue on the Greek island of Crete has been targeted by arsonists for the second time in three weeks, local police said Saturday.

They said an unknown number of people entered the building in the city of Hania, broke through a first-floor door and started a fire.

The fire brigade said the blaze partly destroyed the synagogue's wooden ceiling, as well as many of its archives, computers and CDs. It estimates the damage at $43,000.

The attack occurred around 4 am (0200 GMT) Saturday.

Police said about 2,500 books, many of them rare editions, have been destroyed in this and a previous arson attack three weeks ago.