Ambulances Destroyed in Arson Attack on Jewish Emergency Service; Two Arrested
Two men have been arrested in connection with an arson attack that destroyed four ambulances belonging to Hatzola Northwest, a Jewish volunteer emergency medical service, in Golders Green, north London. The Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident, which occurred early Monday morning, as an antisemitic hate crime, with counterterrorism officers leading the inquiry. Authorities are also examining an online claim of responsibility from a group identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which has stated it is aligned with Iran and has claimed other attacks targeting Jewish institutions in Europe.
Incident Details
On Monday morning, four ambulances operated by Hatzola Northwest were deliberately set on fire around 1:45 AM (or 1:36 AM) in Golders Green, a North London neighborhood with a significant Jewish population. The vehicles were reportedly parked near the Machzikei Hadath synagogue.
The London Fire Brigade responded to 56 emergency calls, deploying six fire engines and approximately 40 firefighters. The fire was brought under control shortly after 3 a.m. Explosions, attributed to gas or oxygen cylinders onboard the ambulances, caused windows to shatter in an adjacent apartment block. Nearby homes were evacuated as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
Hatzola Northwest Chairman Shloimie Richman confirmed that four of the organization's six ambulances were deliberately targeted and that the organization had not received prior threats.
Hatzola Northwest, established in 1979, is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides free emergency medical services in North London.
Investigation and Arrests
The Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident as a suspected antisemitic hate crime, with counterterrorism officers leading the inquiry. While the incident has not been officially classified as a terror attack, police are pursuing all lines of inquiry.
Security camera footage reportedly shows three hooded individuals carrying a canister towards one of the ambulances before flames erupted, or pouring fuel on the vehicles. On Wednesday, police arrested two men, aged 45 and 47, on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Both individuals, identified as British nationals, were transported to a London police station for questioning.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the arrests as an "important breakthrough" in the investigation.
Searches were also conducted at two properties in north London, a few kilometers from the attack scene. Police continue to seek a third suspect.
Superintendent Sarah Jackson, who leads policing in the Golders Green area, stated that officers are conducting urgent inquiries and examining CCTV footage. The Metropolitan Police have increased patrols and are engaging with faith leaders in the area to provide reassurance. Security measures for Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers, including visible firearms patrols, have also been increased ahead of Passover.
Claim of Responsibility and Potential Links
A group identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (also known as the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand or Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right) claimed responsibility for the attack via its Telegram channel. The group posted a video purportedly showing the burning vehicles.
Police are working to authenticate this online claim. Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley stated that all lines of inquiry are being pursued, including potential links to the Iranian state, but cautioned that it is premature to attribute the attack directly to the Iranian state.
The group, which announced its formation in early March, has been described by some analysts as an "astroturfed terror brand" connected to an existing Iran-aligned network, experimenting with low-cost operations in Europe. The group's posts, published in English, Arabic, and Hebrew, reportedly reference Christian and Jewish philosophy without strong mentions of Islamic principles, and its propaganda videos are described as unsophisticated. The group's administrator deleted their Telegram account shortly after communication with CBS News.
Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia has also claimed responsibility for other incidents targeting Jewish institutions in Europe, including a car burning in a Jewish neighborhood in Antwerp, Belgium, and explosions at synagogues in Liege, Belgium, and Rotterdam, Netherlands. Authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands have made arrests in connection with some of these incidents, and Belgium has deployed military personnel to protect Jewish sites.
The group cited a desire to "avenge every child in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and the resistance nations" and urged individuals to "stay away from Zionist and American interests."
Broader Context and Official Reactions
The arson attack occurred amid a reported significant increase in antisemitic incidents in the UK since late 2023, following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel.
The Community Security Trust (CST) charity reported 3,700 antisemitic incidents in 2023, compared to 1,662 in 2022.
The incident drew condemnation from political and religious leaders:
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the event as a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack," stating that "Antisemitism has no place in our society" and that "an attack on the Jewish community is an attack on all."
- Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis referred to the attack as a "particularly sickening assault" on the Jewish community and shared societal values.
- Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally remarked that "such acts of violence, hatred and intimidation have no place in our society."
- Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch noted fears within the Jewish community and emphasized that Britain would not tolerate antisemitism.
- President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Phil Rosenberg, connected the incident to increasing antisemitism globally and characterized it as a threat to both the Jewish community and wider society.
- The Israeli embassy in London called for "decisive action to put an end to this climate of intimidation."
Diplomatically, the British Foreign Office had previously summoned Iranian ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi to address Iran's actions in the UK and other countries. This coincided with a separate court case involving two individuals charged under the National Security Act for allegedly assisting Iranian intelligence services by spying on targets within the Jewish community and the Israeli embassy. Britain's MI5 domestic intelligence service has also reported disrupting over 20 "potentially lethal" Iran-backed plots in the UK in the year leading up to October, and the UK has accused Iran of using criminal proxies for attacks on European soil. Tehran denies these accusations.