U.K. police probe arson attack on building formerly housing Jewish charity

World U.K. police investigate arson attack on building formerly housing Jewish charity April 18, 2026 / 12:12 PM EDT / CBS/AFP Add CBS News on Google U.K. counterterrorism police are investigating an arson attack on a London building that was formerly used by a Jewish charity following a spate of similar incidents in recent weeks. The fire occurred late Friday in London's northern Hendon neighborhood, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Police were called to the scene shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday, when a man was spotted approaching a row of shops carrying a plastic bag. He placed the bag by a building before lighting the items inside, according to police. The bag was later found to have three bottles containing "fluid," police said. When the bottles failed to fully ignite, the man fled the scene, according to police. No one was injured. Photos show a sign for the education organization Jewish Futures still visible in the building's window. The Community Security Trust, a charity that provides safety advice to Jewish groups, said the fire "caused minimal damage to a nearby doorway."  A police officer looks at a glass bottle during an investigation into an arson attack, beside an office formerly used by the business "Jewish future." JUSTIN TALLIS /AFP via Getty Images "We are aware of what appears to be another attempted arson, this time targeting a premises in north London previously used by the Jewish community," the Community Security Trust charity. Police said the community can expect to see a heightened law enforcement presence in the area. The attack mirrored recent incidents in the same area. Two people were arrested on Wednesday over a separate arson attack on a North London synagogue.  In late March, four Jewish community ambulances were torched in Golders Green, also in north London. Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, and a 17-year-old of dual British-Pakistani nationality who cannot be nam...