Devon man, 37, arrested over attacks on London’s Jewish community

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts as part of a wide-ranging counter-terrorism investigation into a series of attacks targeting London’s Jewish community.
The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was detained on Sunday at an address near Barnstaple in Devon and is now being questioned at a police station in London.
The arrest is the latest in a sweeping inquiry that has now seen 26 people detained since an attack on Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on March 23. Officers have also been investigating an incident in which an ignited container was thrown at a Persian-language media organisation, as well as the discovery of jars containing a non-hazardous substance in Kensington Gardens. According to the force, eight people have so far been charged with arson-related offences and one person has been convicted of arson.
Synagogues and Jewish community vehicles have been among the principal targets. Responsibility for the attack on the Hatzola ambulances, along with several other incidents in the United Kingdom and across Europe, has been claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, an Islamist group suspected of having links to Iran.
The threat posed by hostile states operating through intermediaries was raised by Sir Keir Starmer earlier this month during a visit to Kenton United Synagogue, which had been attacked with a petrol bomb. The Prime Minister said he was concerned by the use of “proxies” — groups deployed by states to carry out criminal acts — by “a number of countries”.
Speaking after the latest developments, Rabbi Yehuda Black of Kenton United Synagogue acknowledged the unease running through the community but struck a defiant note. “Even though there is a level of anxiety within the community,” he said, “nevertheless, we refuse to be intimidated and remain strong and resilient.”
The Community Security Trust, which provides protection for Jewish communities across Britain, said it was “grateful to [the police] and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for their work investigating these appalling attacks”.
Vicki Evans, deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, has previously issued a stark warning to those involved in the campaign of violence. “To those facilitating on their behalf and those committing the acts — we will not tolerate activity which seeks to intimidate or frighten our communities,” she said. “You will not succeed in creating division and hate.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​