A 48-year-old man has become the ninth person arrested over the arson attack that destroyed a fleet of volunteer-run Jewish ambulances in north London, as detectives press on with one of the most extensive counter-terrorism operations the Metropolitan Police has run in recent years.
The suspect was detained on Leytonstone High Road on Wednesday and is being held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. He remains in custody.
The arrest is the latest development in the investigation into the firebombing of four Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green during the early hours of 23 March. The attack, which caused no injuries but destroyed three vehicles and seriously damaged a fourth, has been the subject of a sustained inquiry by Counter Terrorism Policing London (CTP).
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London, confirmed officers had been “working continuously” on the case and warned that the operation was far from over.
“The attack on the Hatzola ambulances caused considerable community concern,” she said. “Our aim is to arrest and charge all those responsible for the arson attacks and other incidents targeted at Jewish, Israeli and Iranian sites in recent weeks.”
She urged Londoners to remain alert with the national terror threat level now at severe, adding: “Everyone can play their part to keep themselves and their communities safe. If you have concerns about someone behaving suspiciously, please report it to us. Your information could help us save lives.”
The Hatzola fire is widely seen as the trigger for a wave of related incidents that has since rippled across north-west London. Counter-terror officers have linked subsequent attacks on synagogues, an Iranian dissident memorial wall and other sites to the same broader investigation. To date, 31 people have been arrested across the connected inquiries. Eight have been charged with various offences, including four in direct connection with the Hatzola arson. A 17-year-old boy has already pleaded guilty to arson in relation to a separate firebombing at Kenton Synagogue.
A 19-year-old man detained in Portsmouth on Wednesday on suspicion of attempted arson has been released on bail until July.
The pace of the inquiry has prompted the Metropolitan Police to bolster its visible presence in Jewish neighbourhoods. The force this week announced the creation of a dedicated Community Protection Team made up of 100 additional officers. The unit fuses neighbourhood policing with specialist protection and counter-terrorism capabilities, and is designed to deliver what the Met described as a “more visible, intelligence-led and coordinated presence” across the capital’s Jewish communities. Officials said the model would be built around local knowledge, visibility and close partnership with community organisations.
The Hatzola ambulances themselves are operated by a charity established in 1994 and staffed entirely by Jewish volunteers, providing free emergency medical assistance to residents in north-west London. The vehicles destroyed in March were parked at the time on the grounds of Machzike Hadath synagogue, where accelerant was poured over them and set alight by a small group of hooded suspects. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to bring the blaze under control.
Responsibility for the original attack was claimed online by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, a group described by the SITE Intelligence Group as an Iran-aligned militant network. The Metropolitan Police has not formally classified the firebombing as terrorism, but counter-terror officers have led the investigation from the outset due to the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Anyone with information relating to the inquiry has been asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 415 of 23 March. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
