Golders Green: Three in court over arson attack on Jewish charity ambulances as additional arrest made

Two young men and a 17-year-old boy have been remanded in custody after appearing in court over an arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances in Golders Green.

A further arrest in connection with the incident was made at the court, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service, were destroyed in the early hours of 23 March in north London.

Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both British nationals from Leyton, were on Friday charged with arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

A 17-year-old boy, a dual British and Pakistani national from Walthamstow, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also charged with the same offence.

The group, who were all arrested on Wednesday at different locations in east London, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Prosecutor Emma Harraway told the court: "There is significant evidence that this was a premeditated and targeted attack against the Jewish community."

The defendants spoke only to confirm their personal details. As Iqbal was taken to the cells, someone in the public gallery said: "Take care son, yeah."

Iqbal and Khan were remanded in custody, while the 17-year-old will be held in youth detention accommodation. They are all due to appear at the Old Bailey on 24 April.

The court heard prosecutors do not yet know the motivation for the alleged attack.

The Metropolitan Police said the additional arrest took place after officers attending the hearing "recognised the man as being involved in the arson attack".

He was arrested for arson with intent to endanger life and has been taken into custody.

The case is not being treated as terrorism but Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said its detectives are leading the investigation due to "the circumstances of the incident".

When the four ambulances were set on fire, the resulting blaze caused gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode, and nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Residents describe being woken by the noise, with the force of the explosions blowing out windows, including those of the nearby synagogue.

The government loaned the charity four ambulances to replace those that were destroyed, and has said it would cover the cost of new vehicles.

An appeal has raised more than £3.2m to find new, safer premises for the Hatzola ambulance service in Golders Green.

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Separately, two men aged 45 and 47, arrested last Wednesday, have both been released on bail until later in April.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in northwest London, said a "bespoke policing plan" has been deployed at vulnerable areas across London, including Golders Green.

He added: "This has involved a significant number of additional officers on the ground. It is also being supported by highly visible armed police patrols to serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to cause our communities harm."

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