London Jewish Sites Targeted in Arson Spree Amid Iran Terror Probe
Counter-terror police are actively investigating a disturbing series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites across north London, with growing evidence suggesting the involvement of Iranian proxies. The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that premises linked to individuals opposing the Iranian regime have also been subjected to these coordinated assaults.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans of the Metropolitan Police stated that most of these attacks have been claimed online by the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, also known as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right. This development has raised significant concerns within security circles about foreign-sponsored terrorism on British soil.
Timeline of Recent Attacks
March 23: In the early hours, four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green, north-west London. The vehicles belonged to Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the area. Investigators are probing claims that Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia was behind this attack. A video posted on Telegram featured a map of the location where the ambulances were kept and footage of them ablaze.
April 15: Attempted arson attacks occurred in the early hours at Finchley Reform Synagogue and later at about 8.30pm outside the offices of a Persian media company, both in north-west London. Bottles, one suspected to contain petrol, were placed near the synagogue in Fallow Court Avenue, Finchley. Two individuals wearing dark clothing and balaclavas were seen approaching the building, but neither bottle ignited. They fled the scene with no damage or injuries reported.
Hours later, an ignited container was thrown towards the site of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International. It landed in a car park where the fire immediately extinguished. There were no injuries, and the suspects left the area in a black four-wheel-drive vehicle.
April 18: Items were found near the Israeli embassy in central London in the morning. That night, a former Jewish charity building was attacked in Hendon, Barnet. A man was spotted approaching a row of shops carrying a plastic bag later found to contain three bottles of fluid. He placed the bag by the old Jewish Futures building before lighting the items inside and fleeing after they failed to fully ignite. The shopfront sustained minor damage, and no injuries were reported.
A video, which appears to have been shared by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, shows a target over an image of the Israeli embassy and people dressed in hazmat suits flying drones. Another apparent clip from the group claimed responsibility for the Hendon attack.
April 19: A bottle with some sort of accelerant was thrown through the window of Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, according to the Metropolitan Police. Smoke was seen inside a room at the synagogue after officers spotted damage to the window at around midnight. Video that seems to be from Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia shows a person in dark clothing lighting an item and throwing it at the synagogue before running away.
The ongoing investigation underscores the heightened threat to Jewish communities and dissident groups in London, with authorities urging vigilance and cooperation from the public. The pattern of attacks suggests a calculated campaign of intimidation, potentially linked to broader geopolitical tensions involving Iran.
