A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances in north-west London, the Metropolitan police has said. The 19-year-old man was detained on Saturday morning at Westminster magistrates court, where three other suspects were due to appear.
While attending the hearing of the three other suspects, officers recognised the man as being involved in the attack. He was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and taken into custody. The court was told that four suspects were involved in the alleged attack.
Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both British nationals from Leyton, and a 17-year-old boy, a dual British and Pakistani national from Walthamstow, have been charged with arson with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. They did not enter pleas and were remanded in custody.
Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area, were set on fire in the early hours of 23 March, causing gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode. The court was told there was strong evidence to suggest the attack was a “premeditated and targeted attack against the Jewish community”.
The prosecution has said an investigation is looking into whether an Iranian-backed group claiming responsibility was actually involved. Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation, but the incident has not been declared as terrorism, according to the Met.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing London, said: “Since this appalling attack last week, we have been working continuously to investigate and identify those responsible. The investigation has now reached a stage where three people have been charged and they will now appear in court.” Police patrols have been set up in areas with large Jewish populations, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack”.
