Three charged over Jewish charity ambulance fires

Three charged over Jewish charity ambulance fires

Arson suspects linked to attack on Hatzola ambulances in north London

Four ambulances operated by the Jewish volunteer group Hatzola were torched in the car park of a Golders Green synagogue on 23 March. The vehicles, owned by the charity, were set ablaze in the early hours of the morning. Three individuals have now been charged with arson and reckless endangerment, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The accused include Hamza Iqbal (20) and Rehan Khan (19), both from Leyton, as well as a 17-year-old boy with British-Pakistani heritage. They were apprehended on Wednesday at three separate locations in east London. The trio is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. The investigation is led by counter-terrorism units, though the Met has stated the incident has not yet been classified as a terrorist act.

“The criminal process against these defendants is ongoing, and they are assured of a fair trial,” said Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter-terrorism division.

Earlier in the week, two men aged 45 and 47 were detained in relation to the case and granted bail pending further inquiries in late April. Cdr Helen Flanagan, who oversees Counter Terrorism Policing in London, noted that the team has been diligently working to uncover the culprits since the attack. She praised the “remarkable” support from the local community following the incident.

Following the incident, increased police presence has been observed in Jewish-populated neighborhoods. Det Ch Sup Luke Williams, responsible for North West London policing, highlighted that community anxiety remains elevated, especially during the Passover festival, but emphasized the additional officers are precautionary measures, not a reaction to a specific threat.