British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest took place at a London court on Saturday, where three other suspects were already appearing.
The three individuals previously charged are Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons. They are accused of setting fire to four Hatzola ambulances on 23 March while the vehicles were parked near a synagogue in Golders Green, north London. Damage caused by the fire is estimated at nearly £1 million.
The ambulances belong to Hatzola, a volunteer emergency service that works alongside the NHS and primarily serves the Orthodox Jewish community. Fortunately, no one was injured, although the explosions from cylinders on the vehicles shattered nearby windows.
A prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that police believe four people were involved in the attack, with the fourth suspect arrested on Saturday morning. All three previously charged have been remanded in custody, with the 17-year-old held in youth detention. Iqbal and Khan are from Leyton, while the unnamed teen is from Walthamstow.
The court heard that the attack appeared to be "premeditated and targeted" against the Jewish community. The suspects appeared in grey tracksuits and spoke only to confirm their names and addresses, with family members in attendance.
Police are investigating whether an Iranian-backed group, the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, which claimed responsibility online, played a role. The group has previously been linked to similar incidents in Europe.
Although counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation, the Metropolitan Police said the attack has not yet been classified as terrorism.
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.”
Detective Superintendent Luke Williams added that additional patrols in areas with large Jewish populations are precautionary measures, especially during the Passover festival period.
The three charged suspects are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 24 April.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident at the time as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack”.
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