Police investigate whether Iran is behind London firebomb attacks on Jewish community

By REBECCA CAMBER, CRIME AND SECURITY EDITOR Published: 01:39, 17 April 2026 | Updated: 01:39, 17 April 2026 Counter terrorism police are investigating whether Iran is behind a spate of firebomb attacks on the Jewish community in London. Experts fear that criminal proxies may have carried out three separate arson attacks on behalf of the foreign state, targeting an ambulance service in the Jewish community last month, a synagogue in Finchley and headquarters of a Persian language TV station in Wembley on Wednesday. Detectives said they were 'keeping an open mind' when asked if Iran-backed groups were behind the firebombings.  Now a senior officer has issued a warning to anyone considering taking payment from the hostile state to carry out attacks in the UK. The Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Matt Jukes, spoke out after it emerged two teenagers were among those arrested on suspicion of throwing an 'ignited container' towards the offices of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, at 8.30pm on Wednesday. Armed officers chased the suspects in a SUV, which crashed a short time later. Three males aged 16, 19 and 21 were later arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life.  And earlier there was an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in Finchley at around 12.10am, which resulted in the arrest of a 47-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man on suspicion of arson endangering life. The two attacks follow a similar pattern to the firebombing of a volunteer-led ambulance service run by the Jewish community in Golders Green last month. Stills from a video appears to show the moment an arsonist hurled a petrol bomb at the offices of an Iranian media organisation in north-west London  After he lobs the container over a hedge, it lands in a car park directly next to the offices A woman and a man have been arrested in connection with the 'antisemitic' attempted arson attack at a north London synagogue on Wednesday Three hooded men were caught on CCTV setting fire to four ambulances parked outside a synagogue in north-west London on March 23. When asked whether the series of attacks may have been ordered by Iran, Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing, said: 'We are open-minded and all lines inquiry are open at this stage.' While all three incidents are being treated as separate attacks, the similarity in method and nature of the targets has raised suspicion that the hostile state may be responsible. Ms Evans said the Met is probing claims of responsibility by the Iran-linked Islamist group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia for the attacks. The group, which has claimed other attacks across Europe since the war in Iran broke out, posted videos on Telegram on Wednesday about the two latest incidents. Mr Jukes issued a warning to criminal proxies who may be tempted by payments: 'We know that some individuals are being persuaded or paid to act on behalf of foreign organisations and states. 'If you act out of hatred, racism or antisemitism, we will come after you and you will face the consequences.' Sarah Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green, referred to Wednesday's incident as 'shocking'  Four Hatzola ambulances were firebombed in nearby Golders Green on March 23  He suggested Britain was living in a period where 'foreign interference impacts the streets of London' and people were being paid to 'drive wedges in our community'. He added: 'For the people who think you can make quick and easy money by committing crimes for others, we will show that they are fools. We will show that they are wrong and they will face consequences, 'Those who have paid for it will drop them like a stone, and they'll face justice on their own.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.