British police are probing a shadowy Islamic group amid arson spree at Jewish sites

United KingdomBritish police are probing a shadowy Islamic group amid arson spree at Jewish sitesThe group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, or HAYI, has claimed responsibility for at least eight arson attacks on Jewish locations in London.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A police cordon outside a business that was targeted in what police have described as an “antisemitic hate crime” in the Hendon area of northwest London on Saturday.Alishia Abodunde / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 19, 2026, 9:06 PM EDTBy Tom WinterAfter a spate of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in London, British authorities are investigating a shadowy online group with possible ties to Iran. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, or HAYI, has claimed responsibility for at least eight arson attacks on Jewish locations in London and several others across Europe in recent weeks. “As the conflict in the Middle East continues to evolve, counterterrorism police and our partners remain alive to the threat of Iranian hostile activity in the U.K.,” Vicki Evans, the U.K.’s senior national coordinator for counterterrorism, told reporters Sunday. “We are aware of public reporting that suggests this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect, we will continue to explore that question as our investigation evolves.”Children survey an area cordoned off by police near Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, northwest London, on Sunday. Justin Tallis / AFP via Getty ImagesThe latest attack took place overnight at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, authorities said. The building sustained smoke damage, but there were no injuries, officials said. It was the third such incident over the past week, authorities said. Finchley Reform Synagogue faced an arson attack Wednesday, London Metropolitan Police said, and on Friday a business in northwest London was targeted in what...