Two more arrests after spate of arson attacks on Jewish community in north London
Police have taken a 19-year-old man and a 26-year-old man from Watford into custody after a series of attacks
Two more arrests have been made by counter-terror police after a spate of alleged antisemitic arson attacks in north London.
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A 19-year-old man and a 26-year-old man were arrested in Watford on Tuesday and remain in custody.
The arrest total in relation to the spate of alleged attacks on the Jewish community has now reached nine.
The latest developments came after the Prime Minister warned "perpetrators will feel the full force of the law" in a crackdown on terror and anti-Semitism.
Taking to X, the PM said: “We won’t relent in our fight against antisemitism and terror. Any perpetrators will feel the full force of the law.”
The force added that the "specific target or venue is not known".
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Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the Senior National Co-ordinator of Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “Our investigations continue at pace, and we are continuing to identify and arrest suspects who we believe were involved, or planning, the recent arson attacks in north west London.
“We’ve now had the first conviction in relation to this recent spate of arson attacks and seven others have been charged. We remain determined to identify, arrest and charge all those who have been involved in the recent criminal activity.
“My message to anyone even considering getting involved in this type of activity is this, the stakes are high and it is absolutely not worth the risk.”
"In north west London, communities can expect to see an increased presence of uniformed and plain clothed officers, which is being maintained following the incidents from last week. This includes presence outside Jewish places of worship, businesses and other key community locations to identify any potential attackers and provide reassurance.
The seven arrests follow a string of arson attacks across London - including several attacks targeting synagogues across the capital.
A further arrest overnight saw a 39-year-old man detained at an address in Ealing under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and taken into custody.
Police have confirmed the arrest was connected to a counter-terror investigation after jars of a non-hazardous substance were discovered in Kensington Gardens, close to the Israeli embassy, on Friday.
"As part of this investigation, a search is ongoing at a premises in east London," the force confirmed.
Among the seven arrested over the Jewish community plot, detectives from CTP London confirmed that three men, aged 24, 25 and 26, were detained in Harpenden shortly after 9pm on Sunday.
The force confirmed all three were taken into custody before being released on bail.
On Monday, a 25-year-old man was arrested in Stevenage, with a 26-year-old man, and two women, aged 50 and 59, also arrested in a car near Birmingham.
All four individuals have all been taken to a London police station where they currently remain in custody.
The incident close to the Israeli embassy saw a drone flown over Kensington Gardens in London, while four Jewish community ambulances were destroyed in an arson attack in Golders Green on March 23.
Further attacks at a synagogue in Finchley and a former Jewish charity building in Hendon have also taken place in the past week.
Police have also confirmed that a 17-year-old boy was charged with arson after an attack on a synagogue in north-west London earlier this week.
Counter-terror officers have now arrested a total of 23 people since an attack targeting Jewish Community ambulances in Golders Green earlier this month.
Eight people have been charged with arson-related offences, while 13 people remain in custody or on bail under active police investigation.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the Senior National Co-ordinator of Counter Terrorism Policing, said: “We’ve made very clear that we will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone involved in carrying out or planning these arson attacks.
“Our message is clear, we will not tolerate this intimidation of our communities, and will pursue those responsible. One of our key lines of inquiry is whether criminal proxies – that is to say people being paid money to carry out a crime, are being used to commit any of these arsons.
“While our investigations into this are still ongoing, my message to anyone even considering getting involved in this type of activity is this, the stakes are high and it is absolutely not worth the risk."
“When we identify you, we will seek to prosecute you. This will include considering offences under the National Security Act which comes with a significant sentence and lifetime restrictions," they continued.
“We will not rest until all those responsible for these acts are held to full account.
" 'As well as making arrests, Counter Terrorism Policing resources have also been deployed in north west London to support the significant Met police operation to help deter further attacks and provide reassurance to Jewish places of worship and businesses.'
“I would like to thank our communities for their support as we investigate these crimes, and would urge the public to be alert to anything which doesn’t feel right and report it to us.”