British counterterrorism police arrested two men on Wednesday in connection with Monday’s suspected antisemitic arson attack in Golders Green, London. Four ambulances belonging to the volunteer-led Jewish organization Hatzola were set on fire.
Police said the men, aged 47 and 45, were arrested at addresses in northwest London and central London, respectively, and were being held in custody.
The suspects were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and police officers searched their residences, London’s Metropolitan Police reported.
“We have been working around the clock since this appalling attack took place, and this has led to these arrests being made this morning,” Commander Helen Flanagan, the head of counterterrorism policing, said Wednesday.
“This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we’re also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved,” she said.
“We fully recognize the local community will still be concerned, and our investigation very much remains active, and we will continue to work and identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved,” Flanagan said. She thanked the public and the local Jewish community for helping to facilitate the investigation.
An enhanced police presence remained in place around the affected communities in north London as a precaution, the police said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the incident was a “deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack.” No casualties were reported.
Is nascent pro-Iran group Ashab al-Yamin responsible?
The newly formed Shi’ite terrorist group Ashab al-Yamin (full name: Hakarat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right) claimed responsibility for the attack in a Telegram post.
The attack took place outside Machzike Hadath Synagogue.
In recent weeks, Ashab al-Yamin was linked to several attacks, including an explosion at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, at an Amsterdam Jewish school, and at a Rotterdam synagogue. It is believed to be linked to the Islamic Resistance (Iranian-backed Shia Islamist factions) in Iraq.
Ashab al-Yamin’s new video shows what appears to be its members conducting reconnaissance on the Hatzola ambulances before the arson attack. Footage from a handheld camera appears to show the perpetrators staying near the scene to watch the blaze.
The text inside the video, however, suggests that the real target was the synagogue.
“The Machzike Hadath Synagogue is one of the most important centers of Orthodox Judaism... and one of the main bastions of support for Israel in Britain,” the video text reads.
In Britain, concern has mounted about rising levels of antisemitism. The authorities have also warned about the threat posed by Iran, including the surveillance or targeting of Jewish sites. Tehran has denied the accusations.
Mathilda Heller contributed to this report.