Iranian opposition group’s London office ‘firebombed’ in overnight 'molotov' attack

6 December 2022, 15:42 | Updated: 7 December 2022, 22:39

An Iranian opposition group’s London office was allegedly 'firebombed' in an overnight attack, with police investigators being supported by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command.

The London Fire Brigade was called to the address in Cricklewood, North West London, in the early hours of Monday morning after the blaze broke out.

The office was occupied by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).

Despite the location of the blaze and the support of Counter-Terrorism Command, the Met say the incident is not being treated as terror-related.

Neighbours saw one person running off following the suspected petrol bomb, according to Hossein Abedini, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran UK’s office.

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“They came out and saw somebody who was escaping from the scene, but he threw a firebomb – something like a Molotov cocktail – at the building and they saw flames all over the place and outside the building," he told the BBC.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 02:15 am on Monday, December 5, after the bin shed adjoining the building was said to be ablaze.

The fire, which took 20 minutes to bring under control, destroyed the shed. There were no reported injuries.

Detective Superintendent Tony Bellis said: "We know this incident has caused concern among the local community and have liaised with local community groups as a result.

“The investigation into this incident is being led by detectives from the North-West Command Unit CID and officers are keeping an open mind in relation to any potential motivation behind this incident.

“There is no current information to suggest a targeted attack at this time, and it is not being treated as terror-related.

“However, due to the location of the incident and the organisation based at the adjacent premises, the investigation is also being supported by specialist officers from the Met’s Counter-Terrorism Command.”