Four Men Admit Destroying Jewish Community Ambulances in Golders Green

Four men have pleaded guilty to destroying four Jewish community ambulances in an arson attack causing about £1m of damage.

Hamza ⁠Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and Judex Atshatshi and Saif Ali, both 18, admitted to a charge of destroying or damaging property being reckless whether life would be endangered.

Atshatshi, Khan and Iqbal entered their pleas by video link from Wandsworth and Pentonville jails, with Ali in the dock of the Old Bailey on Friday.

Four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were set on fire on the morning of 23 March while they were parked near a synagogue in Golders Green, an area of north London that has a large Jewish community. Prosecutors said the attack caused about £1m of damage.

The prosecutor, Leo Seelig, suggested the incident had a “terrorist connection” although no mention was made in court of potential proxies working for Iran.