An armed man attempted to attack a synagogue in central Moscow on Satuday, press reports said.

The man, carrying a canister of gasoline and a firearm, lightly wounded a security guard at the Moscow Choral Synagogue, during a struggle, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Police detained the suspect, who threatened to burn down the building, according to the report.

The guard suffered injuries to his hand. A man prevented the suspect from entering the building and other security guards overpowered him at the entrance, according to the report. He has worked at the synagogue for two years.

The attacker was Ivan Lebedev, a 40-year-old man with a history of mental illness, according to a Russian newspaper.

Approximately 150 people, including the Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Pinchas Goldschmidt, were in the building when the attempted attack happened.

Police said they will beef up security around the synagogue ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which this year starts Sunday night.