2 held over London synagogue arson as police probe suspected terror-linked attacks

British police have arrested two teenagers in connection with an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in London, as counterterrorism officers investigate a series of incidents targeting the Jewish community.

The Metropolitan Police said a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were detained overnight in the London area following the weekend attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in northwest London. Both suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.

The synagogue sustained minor smoke damage to an internal room, according to the Community Security Trust, which added that no injuries or significant structural damage were reported.

Authorities are examining at least five arson incidents across London in recent weeks, including three over the weekend targeting the synagogue, a communal residential block in Barnet, and a row of shops in Hendon. Earlier in March, ambulances serving the Jewish community in Golders Green were also set ablaze.

The Met’s Counter Terrorism Policing unit is leading the investigation. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said the attacks share similar characteristics, describing them as coordinated arson incidents aimed at Jewish- and Israeli-linked locations.

According to police, several of the attacks have been claimed online by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a group believed to have links to Iran and previously associated with incidents targeting Jewish and Western institutions across Europe.

Investigators are exploring whether individuals involved in the London attacks were recruited or incentivised by the group, with officials warning that perpetrators may be lured with financial rewards despite having no ideological ties.

Police said the broader investigation remains ongoing, with no fatalities reported in any of the incidents so far.