Man charged over 'arson attack' on former synagogue in London as part of counter terror probe

By JAKE HOLDEN, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 08:50, 12 May 2026 | Updated: 08:53, 12 May 2026 A man has been charged over an arson attack on a former synagogue in east London as part of a counter-terrorism investigation. Moses Edwards, 45, of Wanstead, was arrested on May 10 and has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life following the attack in Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court today. Police rushed to the scene in Nelson Street after being called by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire at a former synagogue last Tuesday at 5.16am. The fire damaged a set of gates and a lock at the front of the building, but no one was injured. CCTV footage suggested that the fire was started intentionally at about 5.10am. Because it was an attack on a former synagogue, the investigation has been led by Counter Terrorism Policing London. The building is currently being sold to a local Somali Muslim organisation. Forensic investigators were seen combing the former synagogue on Nelson Street in Whitechapel, east London, for evidence following the arson attack Officers were called on Tuesday at 5.16am by the London Fire Brigade to reports of a blaze at a former synagogue in Nelson Street in Tower Hamlets, east London Fire damaged the gate and the lock of the outer gate of the former synagogue, police said. A forensic officer inspected an item stuck in the gate A 52-year-old woman, who was also arrested as part of the investigation on 10 May, has been released on bail to a date in August. Leon Silver, 76, president of the former synagogue, said last Tuesday: 'From what I understand, the fire was on the gates and luckily it didn’t spread to the inner door. 'There was also, I gather, an attempt to get through the window, break the window, but the wide grapples in front prevented it.' Det Chief Supt Brittany Clarke, who leads policing in the area, said previously: 'The building targeted has not been operational as a synagogue for some years but that will be of little comfort to the Jewish community in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and beyond'. There has been a spate of attacks at Jewish-related sites across London as antisemitic sentiment rises. A knife attack in Golders Green left two Jewish people with stab wounds on April 29 - the same day Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit on antisemitism. Jewish charity-owned ambulances were set upon in another serious arson attack on March 23, leading to three men being charged with arson with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. An attempted firebombing attack in Finchley Reform Synagogue on April 15 saw two petrol bombs and a brick thrown at the building, but neither bomb ignited. Police and fire officers seen outside the former East London Central Synagogue in Nelson Street in Whitechapel, east London, following the arson attack The synagogue in Whitechapel was founded in 1923 but closed in 2020 and was put up for sale this year. Local Muslim group, the Ashaadibi Education & Cultural Centre community in Whitechapel, put down a £235,000 deposit and launched an appeal to buy the £2million site, with plans for a mosque, community and education centre. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.