UK prosecutors charge 3, including dual Pakistani citizen, in arson attack on Jewish ambulances in London
British prosecutors have charged three suspects — ages 17, 19 and 20 — in connection with a disturbing arson attack targeting Jewish community ambulances in north London.
The March 23 incident unfolded at around 1:45 a.m. in the Golders Green neighborhood, where four ambulances operated by Hatzola, a volunteer emergency service serving the Jewish community, were deliberately set ablaze in a synagogue parking lot.
Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and a 17-year-old boy are accused of arson with intent to damage property while recklessly endangering life, according to the Metropolitan Police. Officials said two of the suspects are British citizens, while one holds dual British and Pakistani citizenship.
All three were arrested Wednesday at separate locations across London.
They did not enter pleas and were remanded in custody following a roughly 45-minute hearing Saturday afternoon at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, according to The Standard.
Prosecutors said a fourth suspect was also arrested and taken into custody at the courthouse where the three charged men were appearing, according to Reuters.
UK COUNTERTERRORISM POLICE PROBE ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK AS IRAN-LINKED GROUP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously condemned the attack as a “horrifying” antisemitic act.
“An attack on our Jewish community is an attack on us all. We will fight the poison that is antisemitism,” Starmer wrote on X on March 23.
A report from the SITE Intelligence Group says an Iran-backed network calling itself the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand has claimed responsibility, according to Reuters.
UK ARRESTS 2 OVER ‘ANTISEMITIC ARSON ATTACK’ AS POLICE INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE IRAN LINK
Despite the claim, officials have not formally classified the case as terrorism. However, counterterrorism police are leading the investigation, Metropolitan Police said.
Police in the United Kingdom previously arrested two additional men, ages 45 and 47, in the days following the attack. They were later released on bail, according to the Metropolitan Police.
“I want to reiterate that the support we had from the local community since this attack took place has been incredible, and we will continue to work closely with local policing colleagues to do everything we can to keep the public safe,” Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said in a statement.
The Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter and Greg Norman, as well as Reuters contributed to this report.
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