Arrests over planned arson attack on Jewish community

Seven people have been arrested over an alleged plan to commit an arson attack targeting the Jewish community, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The force added that the specific target or venue was not known.

Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London arrested three men aged 24, 25 and 26 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, on Sunday. They were later released on police bail.

On Monday, a 25-year-old man was arrested in Stevenage, while a 26-year-old man and two women aged 50 and 59 were arrested in a car in Birmingham on Monday. They remain in custody at a London police station.

Following the arrests, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government "won't relent in our fight against antisemitism and terror".

Separately, a 39-year-old man was arrested in Ealing on Tuesday under the Terrorism Act, in connection with an investigation into jars of a non-hazardous substance found in Kensington Gardens on 17 April. He remains in custody.

Since late March, there have been a series of arson attacks, including Jewish community ambulances that were targeted in Golders Green, two synagogues and a former Jewish charity. Another incident involved a drone which was flown near the Israeli embassy.

Officers have now arrested a total of 23 individuals since the first attack.

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."

She added that officers were investigating a "key line of inquiry" into the use of criminal proxies - people being paid money to carry out arson attacks.

Evans said: "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."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk