British authorities apprehended a fourth individual linked to a recent arson incident involving Jewish community ambulances, as per prosecutors. The arrest took place at a London court where three male suspects already facing charges for setting fire to four ambulances owned by the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola on March 23 in the Golders Green area of north London.
The latest detainee, a 19-year-old male, was identified by officers during a court appearance related to the case. He was taken into custody on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. The initial three suspects – Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and an unnamed 17-year-old – have been accused of arson with intent to damage property and endangering lives. While two of them are British nationals, the third holds dual British-Pakistani citizenship.
All three suspects have been remanded in custody, with the 17-year-old ordered to be held in a youth detention facility. Authorities believe that four individuals were involved in carrying out the attack. Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the incident as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.”
According to the SITE Intelligence website, a militant group known as the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, aligned with Iran, claimed responsibility for the arson. The group has been linked to similar incidents in Europe. Despite counter-terrorism officers leading the investigation, the incident is not currently classified as terrorism.
Hatzola, a volunteer emergency service that collaborates with the National Health Service in the UK, primarily serves the Orthodox Jewish community. The London Fire Brigade reported that explosions from cylinders on the ambulances caused nearby windows to shatter, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.
There has been a surge in attacks on Jewish individuals and establishments in Britain since the conflict between Hamas and Israel in October 2023, according to law enforcement and community organizations.