Two arrested over London Jewish ambulance arson
March 25, 2026
Two men have been arrested in connection with an arson attack on ambulances serving a Jewish community in north London, police said on Wednesday.
The Metropolitan Police said counterterrorism officers detained the men, ages 47 and 45, at separate London addresses. Both remain in custody.
Police said the investigation remains active, noting that CCTV footage of the incident points to at least three suspects.
Shortly after midnight on Monday, four ambulances operated by Hatzola, a volunteer emergency service in Golders Green, were set on fire. Gas canisters inside the vehicles exploded, prompting evacuations from nearby homes. Residents said the blasts shattered windows, including at a nearby synagogue.
Possible extremist link under investigation
British authorities have accused Iran of using criminal proxies to carry out operations in Europe, targeting dissidents and Jewish communities. MI5, the domestic intelligence agency, has said it disrupted more than 20 "potentially lethal" Iran-backed plots in the year to October.
The police are also investigating a claim of responsibility posted online by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, or the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. Israeli officials have described the group as recently formed, with suspected links to pro-Iran networks, and said it has claimed responsibility for synagogue attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.
However, Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley said it was too early to attribute the attack to the Iranian state.
Police step up security presence
Counterterrorism officials urged the public to come forward with information, thanking local residents and the Jewish community for their cooperation.
"We know that community concerns remain heightened," a senior police official said, adding that an increased police presence would remain in place across London in the coming days and weeks. Police described the measures as precautionary, not a response to a specific threat.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery