LONDON (AP) – On Wednesday, British police arrested two men, aged 45 and 47, in connection with an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in Golders Green, a neighborhood in London with a significant Jewish population. Authorities are investigating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime, with police considering the potential involvement of a group linked to Iran.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that both men were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and have been taken to a station in London for questioning. Commander Helen Flanagan, who heads Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the arrests as an "important breakthrough in the investigation." However, she indicated that surveillance camera footage revealed the involvement of at least three individuals in the incident.
Though police have not officially classified the incident as a terror attack, they are investigating a claim of responsibility made by a group identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which translates to the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. This group is suspected of having connections to pro-Iran networks and has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on synagogues in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The arson occurred early on Monday morning, resulting in the complete destruction of four ambulances operated by Hatzola Northwest, a volunteer organization serving the Jewish community. The fire was intense enough that oxygen cylinders on the ambulances exploded, causing damage to nearby apartment buildings by shattering windows. This attack has contributed to an already shaken local sense of security, as many community members express concerns over increasing antisemitism amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The U.K. government has previously accused Iran of employing criminal proxies to execute attacks on European soil, specifically targeting opposition media outlets and the Jewish community. According to Britain’s MI5 domestic intelligence service, more than 20 "potentially lethal" plots backed by Iran have been disrupted in the year leading up to October.
Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley emphasized that detectives are actively probing the claim of responsibility, but cautioned that it is too soon to definitively attribute the attack to the Iranian state. The unresolved tensions stemming from this attack reflect broader issues of antisemitism faced by the community, raising alarm for local residents as they navigate their daily lives under the shadow of such violence.
As investigations continue, authorities are prioritizing the urgent need for community safety and attempting to restore a sense of security for those affected. The implications of this incident will likely resonate within the local and broader Jewish communities in the U.K., as they confront the disturbing trend of antisemitic violence.
