A fourth suspect has been arrested in connection with the arson attack on four Jewish community ambulances in north London, the Metropolitan Police has said.
Officers arrested a 19-year-old man at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier today as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident in Golders Green.
Police said the man was identified by officers while they were attending a hearing involving three other suspects linked to the case.
He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and taken into custody.
Three individuals charged following the attack appeared at the court this morning, and have since been remanded in custody.
They are British nationals, Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, from Leyton, and a 17-year-old boy who is a dual British-Pakistani national from Walthamstow.
All three have been charged with arson with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
A court artist sketch of Hamza Iqbal (left), 20, Rehan Khan (right), 19, alongside a dock officer, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA)
The ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of north-west London, were set on fire in the early hours of March 23, causing gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode, resulting in £1 million worth of damage, Westminster Magistrates Court heard.
The accused, who were arrested as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) investigation, did not enter pleas and were remanded in custody during the hearing, which lasted around 45 minutes on Saturday afternoon.
Prosecutor Emma Harraway told the court: “There is significant evidence that this was a premeditated and targeted attack against the Jewish community.”
Prosecutors do not yet know the motivation for the alleged attack, which “specifically targeted” the ambulances, the court heard.
The case is not being treated as terrorism but CTP said due to “the circumstances of the incident” the investigation is being led by its detectives.
The defendants spoke only to confirm their personal details during the hearing, which took place before a full public gallery of relatives.
Some £1 million worth of damage was caused by the fire, the court heard (Jamie Lashmar/PA)
As Iqbal, who wore a grey prison-issue tracksuit in the dock, was taken to the cells, a member of the public gallery said: “Take care son, yeah.”
The court heard Khan, who also wore a grey prison-issue tracksuit, is a college student.
Both were remanded into custody, with the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remanded into youth detention accommodation.
The three defendants are set to appear at the Old Bailey on April 24.
Two other men aged 45 and 47 who were arrested last week, and are also British, were released on bail until late April.
