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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Joe Middleton

Three charged after four Jewish community ambulances set on fire in London

The burnt-out remains of Hatzola ambulances at the Jewish Community Ambulance service in Golders Green (Jamie Lashmar/PA) - (PA Wire)

Three males have been charged after four Jewish community ambulances were targeted in an alleged arson attack in north-west London.

Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both British nationals from Leyton, and a 17-year-old boy, a dual British and Pakistani national from Walthamstow, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

They were charged with arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered after being arrested as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) investigation.

Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of north-west London, were set on fire in the early hours of March 23, causing gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: "Since this appalling attack last week, we have been working continuously to investigate and identify those responsible.

"The investigation has now reached a stage where three people have been charged and they will now appear in court."

Two other men aged 45 and 47 who were arrested last week, and are also British, were released on bail until late April.

The case is not being treated as terrorism but CTP said due to "the circumstances of the incident" the investigation is being led by its detectives.

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