Statements on linked arson attacks in north west London

The following statements were delivered by Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes and the Senior National Co-ordinator for Counter Terrorism, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans outside the Kenton United Synagogue.

Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes:

I’m Matt Jukes, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. I’m joined by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the Senior National Co-ordinator of Counter Terrorism Policing, and Matt Walker, the Deputy Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade. We continue to work closely on these incidents with all of London’s blue light partners and we're grateful for the close work with the LFB.

We're going to provide an update in relation to several events from recent days and weeks. Several premises as you know, linked to Britain’s Jewish community and to those who oppose the Iranian regime, have been targeted in recent arson attacks.

The latest incidents happened last night when in the Brent - Harrow area where a synagogue was attacked and in Barnet bins were set alight outside a communal block. On Friday, as you may know, a Jewish business in Barnet was also targeted.

DAC Vicki Evans is going to provide an update in relation to the Counter Terrorism Policing investigation and I will go on to talk more widely about the impact on London’s communities and the Met’s work to protect them.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans:

Counter Terrorism Policing are leading the investigations into all these incidents. The nature of the incidents has been similar – arson attacks targeting Israeli and Jewish linked premises in London.

Most have been claimed online by the group Ashab al-Yamin (Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right).

This same group has claimed several incidents over recent months at places of worship, business and financial institutions across Europe. These locations all appear to be linked to Jewish or Israeli interests.

I want to be clear, irrespective of the motivation of this group, to those facilitating on their behalf and those committing the acts – we will not tolerate activity which seeks to intimidate or frighten our communities. You will not succeed in creating division and hate.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to evolve, Counter Terrorism Policing and our partners remain alive to the threat of Iranian state aggression in the UK. We are aware of public reporting that this group may have links to Iran. As you would expect we will explore the question of motivation and direction as our investigations continue.

I have spoken at length of the Iranian regime’s routine uses of criminal proxies.

We are considering whether this tactic is being used here in London - recruiting violence as a service. Individuals carrying out these crimes often have no allegiance to the cause and are taking quick cash for their crimes.

To anyone even considering getting involved – my message to you would be this - the stakes are high - and it is absolutely not worth the risk for a small reward.

Those tasking you will not be there when you are arrested and face court. You will be used once and thrown away without a second thought.

When we identify you, we will seek to prosecute you, this will include considering offences under the National Security Act which comes with a significant sentence and lifetime restrictions.

Our investigations continue at pace, using all our specialist capabilities round the clock.

We will not rest until those responsible for these acts are held to full account. I would urge our communities to be alert to anything which doesn’t feel right – please report it to police. It could be vital to our investigation. Thank you.

Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes:

Thank you.

As Vicki has outlined, we are seeing a concerted campaign against Londoners, and specifically, against British Jews.

So, I want to talk today, not only to Jewish communities, who are fearful and concerned, but also more broadly to Londoners. I know they will join me in being absolutely appalled about these acts of violence and intimidation.

For Jewish communities, this feeling of concern is sadly not new; and we appreciate and recognise the continued impact on them as they try to live peacefully and without fear.

When I was in Finchley in a synagogue, in shul, on Friday night, I was struck by that community’s resilience. A community determined not to let thugs and racists win.

But, to join that service, I’d passed through locked gates and high fences. Simply to join people coming together in faith. This should not be anyone's reality.

London is better than this. We should all be standing with our neighbours, and we need vigilance from every community in support of those who are being targeted. It means all communities speaking out against this antisemitism and intimidation, as well as people providing information to police that will help us tackle crime and deter terrorism.

It also means the whole of society - across faiths, across politics, in charities and businesses –coming together to play their role in calling out extremism.

And as the Met, we are consistently going beyond words. I am not going to list again our operational commitments – we released details of these last night. But to be clear, we are out on the streets, seen and unseen, and we are making arrests.

We are going to continue our work – and indeed one of the latest incidents last night was found quickly by local officers who had been deployed to patrol Jewish places of worship and businesses.

Finally, and without commenting on the live investigations, we have seen other cases of thugs for hire who commit criminal acts and intimation on behalf of others.

Vicki and I can stand here today and be 100 per cent clear that the teams we have led have put people in prison who thought they could make easy money that way. Let’s be really clear - it’s a mug’s game.

That’s what people who are now serving long prison sentences have found out, and the same fate awaits those responsible for these recent crimes.

Thank you for your attendance today. We will continue to provide updates and respond to your questions in the week ahead.