Counter-terrorism police have arrested three more individuals, including a 17-year-old boy, in connection with a suspected arson attack on ambulances operated by a Jewish charity in Golders Green, north London. The Metropolitan Police said the three – a 19-year-old man, a 20-year-old man, and the 17-year-old – were arrested early on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. They remain in police custody.
The arrests come after a similar incident on 23 March, when four ambulances belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer-run Jewish charity providing free medical transport and emergency response, were set alight on Highfield Road near the Machzike Hadath synagogue. Two men, aged 47 and 45, were previously arrested and released on bail pending further enquiries.
Police searched separate homes in East London belonging to the new suspects on Wednesday afternoon. The two older men are British nationals, while the 17-year-old holds dual British and Pakistani citizenship. The investigation is being led by counter-terrorism detectives, though the incident has not been officially declared terrorism. The Met has stated it is being treated as an antisemitic hate crime.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing, said: “We know concern among the Jewish community remains high, but I hope these arrests show that we are doing everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.” She added that CCTV footage suggested at least three people were involved in the attack.
DCS Luke Williams, who leads policing in north-west London, noted that an enhanced policing plan has been implemented across London, particularly focusing on vulnerable areas, as the Jewish community enters the Passover festival period. “This has involved a significant number of officers on the ground, with the aim of protecting communities, disrupting offenders, and detecting crime,” he said.
