British authorities have apprehended a fourth individual in connection with the arson attack on Jewish community ambulances that occurred last month. The arrest took place at a London court where three other suspects were already facing charges. The accused, Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and a 17-year-old whose identity is protected by law, are alleged to have set fire to four ambulances owned by the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola on March 23 near a synagogue in north London’s Golders Green area.
The Metropolitan Police in London disclosed that the fourth suspect, a 19-year-old man, was detained at the court during a hearing after officers identified him as being linked to the attack. He was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and taken into custody.
The three other individuals have been charged with arson with intent to damage property and endangering lives recklessly. While two of them are British nationals, the third holds dual British-Pakistani citizenship. All three have been remanded in custody, with the 17-year-old being held in youth detention accommodation.
A representative from the Crown Prosecution Service stated that the police believe four individuals were involved in carrying out the attack. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the incident as a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.”
Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation in Britain, although the incident is not currently being treated as terrorism. Hatzola, a volunteer emergency service that supports the Orthodox Jewish community in the UK, operates alongside the National Health Service. The London Fire Brigade reported that explosions from cylinders on the ambulances caused nearby windows to shatter, but fortunately, no injuries were sustained.
Authorities have noted an increase in attacks on Jewish individuals and targets in Britain following the 2023 conflict between Hamas and Israel, although the incident has not been classified as terrorism at this time.