Counter-terrorism police probe arson attacks on Jewish sites in London

Metropolitan Police investigate possible Iranian proxy links after three attacks in less than a week.

British counter-terrorism police opened an investigation into a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London after a fire at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow shortly after midnight on Sunday.¹²³ The blaze caused minor damage and no injuries were reported.³

The attack was the third on Jewish sites in the capital in less than a week, according to Britain's chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.¹² On Friday night, arsonists targeted business premises linked to the Jewish community, and police had arrested two suspects days earlier over an attempted arson at another synagogue.¹²

Mirvis said on X that "a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum."¹² He added: "Thank God, no lives have been lost, but we cannot, and must not, wait for that to change before we understand just how dangerous this moment is for all of our society."¹²

Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Vicki Evans said most of the attacks had been claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a group that has also claimed responsibility for incidents at places of worship and business institutions across Europe in recent months.³ Evans said police were aware of "public reporting that this group may have links to Iran" and were examining whether Iran's "routine uses of criminal proxies" included "recruiting violence as a service" in this case.³

Police cordoned off an area near the Israeli embassy in London after an online report that it had been targeted with drones carrying "dangerous substances," but later said items recovered did not contain harmful materials.¹²