Police probe arson attack at former London synagogue

LONDON: London police said Tuesday they were investigating a new arson incident targeting the Jewish community after a blaze at a former synagogue.
The news came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer gathered public figures for talks on a response to what he called a “crisis” after a series of antisemitic attacks.
Firefighters were called to a building in east London early Tuesday, the capital’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
There has been a spate of incidents including arson in the capital, notably in the Golders Green area of north London which is home to a large Jewish community.
Last week two Jewish men were stabbed and injured in the street.
“One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents,” Starmer told the meeting.
“Our message to Iran or to any other country that might seek to promote violence, hatred or division in society is that it will not be tolerated.”
Only minor damage was caused Tuesday to gates at a former synagogue targeted in the latest incident, police said.
“Initial CCTV enquiries indicate that the fire was started intentionally at approximately 05:10hrs and the incident is being treated as arson,” said the statement.
“Given the nature of the incident and the location being a former synagogue, the incident is being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing London.”
A little-known group called Harakat Ashab Al-Yamin Al-Islamiya (HAYI) — meaning The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand and believed to be linked to Iran — has claimed responsibility for previous attacks in Britain and other European countries.