Police arrest two more men over planned arson attack on Jewish community in London

Published: 21:29, 22 April 2026 | Updated: 21:52, 22 April 2026 Two more men have been arrested over a planned arson attack on the Jewish community in London. The men, aged 19 and 26, were arrested in Watford today and have both been taken into custody.  They were arrested by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing.  A total of nine people have now been arrested in the past three days. The other seven were previously arrested for conspiracy to commit arson and remain under investigation. They have been released on bail, which police said was with 'strict conditions'. 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.' Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, from Counter Terrorism Policing London, and Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes outside Kenton United Synagogue on Sunday afternoon The two men join the growing list of suspects arrested in connection with arson attacks on the Jewish community in the capital. On Sunday, three men aged 24, 25 and 26 were arrested in Harpenden. On Monday, a 25-year-old man was arrested in Stevenage. And on Tuesday, a 26-year-old man and two women, aged 50 and 59, were arrested in a car near Birmingham.    Since March, a series of arson attacks have been planned and carried out in London. They included the targeting of community ambulances in Golders Green, two synagogues and a former Jewish charity. A drone was then reported to be flying near the Israeli embassy on Friday.  Police said an investigation into the incident in Kensington Gardens is ongoing, adding that a 39-year-old man who was arrested in Ealing on Tuesday remains in custody. Police obtained a warrant of further detention, which means he can be held until next Tuesday. Since the attack on the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on 23 March, counter terror officers have arrested 25 people.  Eight people have been charged with arson-related offences and one has been convicted of arson.  Ms Evans added: '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. 'Armed response vehicles and Counter Terrorism Policing resources continue to be deployed to the area to support the increased local policing plan, which is making use of a full range of policing powers to keep our communities safe.  Police motorbikes and specialist interceptors are also proactively patrolling to detect and deter any use of the road network by criminals.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.