Three suspects ordered to remain in British custody over Jewish charity attack | court news

The Metropolitan Police said the three men were charged with Arson ‘being reckless or endangering life’.

Two British nationals and one UK-Pakistani national are in custody after appearing in court charged with arson to four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity in London that was set on fire.

The attack on March 23 in Golders Green, an area of ​​north London with a large Jewish community, destroyed four ambulances belonging to the volunteer organization Hatzola.

Two of the suspects were identified by the police on Saturday as British citizens, Hamza Iqbal (20) and Rehan Khan (19). The third suspect, a 17-year-old UK-Pakistani dual citizen, cannot be named for legal reasons.

According to a statement by the Metropolitan Police, the three suspects, who were arrested at various locations in East London on Wednesday, were charged with arson and “recklessly endangering life.”

The suspects did not enter a plea in a 45-minute appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that the British police also arrested a fourth person in connection with the arson.

‘Deeply shocking’

The ambulances that were set on fire were operated by Hatzola, a volunteer organization that provides free medical transport and emergency response primarily for the Orthodox Jewish community.

According to the London Fire Brigade, the explosions from cylinders on the vehicles broke nearby windows, but no one was injured.

Since the fire, police have vowed to increase security around Jewish community centers across the capital.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as a “deeply shocking anti-Semitic arson attack”.

Police said they were treating the incident as an anti-Semitic hate crime. So far the incident has not been declared a “terrorist offence”, but counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation.

The three defendants will appear at London’s Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, on April 24.

The Iranian group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility for the attack. It has also previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.