British counterterrorism police on Wednesday arrested two men in connection with Monday's suspected antisemitic arson attack on four ambulances belonging to the volunteer-led Jewish organization Hatzola in Golders Green, London.
Police said the men, aged 47 and 45, were arrested at addresses in north west London and central London respectively, and were being held in custody.
The two were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, with police officers carrying out searches at their residences, London's Metropolitan Police stated.
"We have been working around the clock since this appalling attack took place, and this has led to these arrests being made this morning," the Met's head of counterterrorism policing, Commander Helen Flanagan, said.
"This appears to be an important breakthrough in the investigation, but we're also mindful that CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved," she added.
"We fully recognize the local community will still be concerned, and our investigation very much remains active, and we will continue to work and identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved," she continued, thanking the public and the local Jewish community for helping to facilitate the investigation.
An enhanced police presence remained in place around the affected communities in north London as a precaution, the police statement added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the time called the incident a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack." No injuries were reported.
Is nascent pro-Iran group Ashab al-Yamin responsible?
The newly formed Shi’ite terror group Ashab al-Yamin (full name, Hakarat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, or in English: the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right) took to its Telegram channel to claim responsibility for the attack, which took place outside Machzike Hadath Synagogue.
Ashab al-Yamin appeared on the scene in recent weeks in relation to several attacks, including an explosion at a Liège synagogue in Belgium, an Amsterdam Jewish school, and a Rotterdam synagogue. It is believed to be linked to the Islamic Resistance (Iranian-backed Shia Islamist factions) in Iraq.
Ashab al-Yamin’s new video shows what appears to be its members conducting reconnaissance on the Hatzola ambulances before the arson. Footage from a handheld camera appears to show the perpetrators staying near the scene to watch the blaze.
The text inside the video, however, suggests that the real target was the synagogue itself.
“The Machzike Hadath Synagogue is one of the most important centers of Orthodox Judaism [...] and one of the main bastions of support for Israel in Britain,” the video text reads.
In Britain, concern has mounted about rising levels of antisemitism, while authorities have also warned of the threat posed by Iran, including the surveillance or targeting of Jewish sites. Tehran has denied such accusations.
Mathilda Heller contributed to this report.