British police arrest two men over attack on ambulances belonging to Jewish group

The ambulances were set on fire early Monday while they were parked next to a synagogue in an area of London with a large Jewish population.

View at burnt ambulances in a car park at Golders Green in London, Monday, March 23, 2026 after an apparent arson attack on four vehicles belonging to a Jewish ambulance service, Hatzola Northwest. Photo| AP

LONDON: British police said on Wednesday they had arrested two men over a London arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation.

The arrests came after police said they were investigating an online claim of responsibility by a little-known Islamist group which has possible links to Iran.

The ambulances were set on fire early Monday while they were parked next to a synagogue in an area of London with a large Jewish population.

The Metropolitan Police said two men aged 47 and 45 were arrested by counter-terrorism detectives "on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life."

The men were arrested at addresses in central and northwestern London where officers were carrying out searches, police said.

The 'Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI)' group, meaning The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand, claimed Monday's attack in a Telegram post, after saying it was also responsible for similar attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Two minors were arrested in Belgium on Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a "terrorist" organisation after a car was set on fire in Antwerp's Jewish quarter, also claimed by HAYI.

The SITE monitoring service said the group is aligned with Iran.

London police chief Mark Rowley said late Monday his forces were "pursuing all lines of enquiry, including an online claim of responsibility by an Islamist group who have claimed other attacks across Europe and have potential Iranian state links".

The attack targeted ambulances run by the volunteer organisation Hatzola, which provides free medical transportation and emergency response to those living in north London.

The head of counterterrorism policing for London, Helen Flanagan, was quoted as saying Wednesday the arrests appeared to be an "important breakthrough in the investigation."

But the police commander added "CCTV footage of the incident suggests there were at least three people involved."

The investigation "very much remains active" and police will "seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved," she added said.