Counter-terrorism investigators are examining three separate arson attacks in London against an Iranian dissident and Jewish targets amid fears the Iranian state may be behind them. The latest attack occurred at about 8.30pm on Wednesday, outside the offices of Iran International, a Persian-language news channel that opposes the regime in Tehran. The Metropolitan Police said an “ignited container” had been thrown at a car park at the company’s offices in Wembley, but the fire immediately went out. After a police pursuit involving an armed response vehicle, a 16-year-old boy and two men, aged 19 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life.
This followed an attempted firebomb attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue on Wednesday morning, and an arson attack last month on four ambulances in Golders Green run by a Jewish charity. A 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man remain in custody in connection with the attempted attack on the synagogue. On Thursday, Scotland Yard said two 18-year-olds had been arrested at two separate addresses in east London where searches were carried out in relation to the ambulance attack. One was arrested on suspicion of committing arson with intent to endanger life, the other on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. Three men have already been charged over that attack and another man remains on bail.
The Met confirmed all three incidents were being investigated by London’s counter-terrorism unit. Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes said they were being treated as separate incidents and it was too early to speculate on motives. Investigators believe some of the suspects have criminal pasts, and counter-terrorism experts have previously warned of foreign states using criminal proxies to carry out violence in the UK. Jukes issued a pointed warning: “For the people who think you can make quick and easy money by committing crimes for others, we will show that they are fools. They will face consequences.”
Jukes cited the case of Dylan Earl, who is serving 17 years in prison as the ringleader of a Russian-ordered arson attack on London. Asked if police were investigating the possibility that Iran had paid proxies to carry out the attacks, Jukes said: “We cannot and won’t reach definitive conclusions about those cases which are live and still being investigated. But it’s an important part of the current global picture.” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing, explained that none of the incidents had been declared terrorist attacks at this stage, but they are being led by counter-terrorism policing to allow specialist capabilities to be deployed.
The militant group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia has claimed responsibility for the ambulance attack and suggested it was behind this week’s attack on the synagogue, as well as a number of attacks across Europe. Evans said: “We are clearly aware of that group. Naturally, that is one of our many lines of inquiry and there are many others.” She added that a fifth of the workload of counter-terrorism policing is currently focused on “hostile state activity”. In a statement on the attack on its office, Iran International’s editorial board said: “At this stage, the motives and intentions of those involved have not been established, and we will not speculate while inquiries continue.”
