Gang admits setting fire to Jewish ambulances causing £1million damage as part of 'Iran-backed' attack

Four men have pleaded guilty to setting fire to four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in north London, causing over £1 million in damage. The attack occurred in the early hours of March 23 this year in Golders Green, where the ambulances operated under the name Hatzola, a volunteer-led organization serving the local Jewish community. The defendants, Saif Ali, 18, from Walthamstow; Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both from Leyton; and Judex Atshatshi, 18, from Dagenham, appeared at the Old Bailey and admitted to charges of destroying or damaging property recklessly, knowing that lives could be endangered. A fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, 18, from Walthamstow, faces separate charges of assisting an offender and is due to stand trial next year. The attack involved three hooded men who poured gasoline onto the ambulances before fleeing the scene. CCTV footage captured the suspects using a blue Toyota Avensis with cloned license plates. Investigations revealed that one of the defendants, Saif Ali, had conducted internet searches prior to the attack, including queries about the cost of ambulances and how long it takes for police to investigate arson. He also used the AI feature on Snapchat to identify the synagogue near the attack site, according to data recovered from his phone. The ambulances were fully equipped and valued at up to £250,000 each. Three of them contained oxygen tanks that exploded upon ignition, resulting in damage to a nearby block of flats and the side of a synagogue. Additionally, four electrical charging stations and associated cables worth approximately £5,000 each were destroyed in the attack. Prosecutors, led by Leo Seelig, argued that the attack was a targeted assault against the Jewish community and that the men should be sentenced based on the premise that the incident was connected to terrorism. However, Judge Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb stated that she would not determine the terrorism aspect at this stage, noting that defense counsel had presented arguments against such a connection. The Hatzola organization, which has been operating in Golders Green since 1979, provides free emergency medical services to the community regardless of religious affiliation. Community leaders expressed outrage at the attack, describing it as an antisemitic act targeting a vital public service. The Community Security Trust, a charity dedicated to protecting British Jews from antisemitism, condemned the incident and highlighted the shock and distress it caused within the Jewish community. British intelligence officials initially considered the possibility that the Iranian government or its proxies might have been involved in the attack, particularly given the broader context of similar incidents against Jewish communities in 2026. Intelligence assessments later confirmed suspicions linking Iran or its allies to the attack. This assessment was reinforced by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) investigation into Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an Iranian-Iraqi man arrested in Turkey and extradited to the United States. Al-Saadi faced charges of orchestrating multiple attacks across Europe and North America, some of which were attributed to the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand. U.S. court documents indicate that this group claimed responsibility for the Hatzola ambulance attack through its social media accounts. The group has been linked to several other attacks on Jewish community assets in Europe, according to publicly available information. The FBI alleges that al-Saadi played a central role in planning these attacks, which included the destruction of Jewish charities and community centers. The men who pleaded guilty will be sentenced in spring 2025, pending the outcome of Subhan Ahmed’s trial. Prosecutors intend to argue that the attack was terrorism-related, despite the defendants’ assertion that they are not affiliated with any terrorist organizations. The case continues to draw attention from law enforcement agencies and community groups concerned about rising threats to Jewish institutions in the UK.