Fourth male remanded over alleged arson on Jewish community ambulances
The ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area, were set on fire in the early hours of March 23
A fourth person charged after four Jewish community ambulances were torched in north-west London has been remanded in custody.
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The ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area, were set on fire in the early hours of March 23, causing gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode, resulting in £1 million of damage, prosecutors say.
Two British men, Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, from Leyton, east London, and a 17-year-old boy, of dual British-Pakistani nationality, from Walthamstow, are charged with arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered and were remanded in custody earlier this month.
Judex Atshatshi, 18, a British national from Dagenham, east London, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with arson with intent to damage property and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
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During a short hearing, Atshatshi spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address and was remanded in custody.
Prosecutors say they believe the incident was a targeted attack against the Jewish community.
Atshatshi was arrested on Thursday after counter-terrorism detectives attended two addresses in east London, the Metropolitan Police said.
Another 18-year-old arrested on the same day on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life has been released on bail until a date in July.
The four defendants are set to appear at the Old Bailey on April 24.
Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said: “We have worked closely with the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command as it carried out its investigation.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have the right to a fair trial.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”