Four men plead guilty to arson on Jewish ambulances in north London
Four men have admitted setting fire to four Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green, causing £1m damage; a fifth defendant denies assisting offenders.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Four men have pleaded guilty to destroying four ambulances owned by the Jewish volunteer ambulance service Hatzola in Golders Green, north London, in an arson attack in March. The attack caused around £1 million in damage, with gas canisters inside the vehicles exploding and damaging nearby flats and a synagogue. No one was injured.
The defendants are Hamza Iqbal, 20, from Leyton; Rehan Khan, 19, from Leyton; Judex Achachi, 18, from Dagenham; and Saif Ali, 18, from Walthamstow. All pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to destroying or damaging property by arson, being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. Three of them were directly involved in setting the fires, while the fourth waited in a getaway car.
Prosecutors described the attack as premeditated and targeted against the Jewish community. During the hearing, a question arose over whether the incident had a terrorist connection. Prosecutors indicated they want the men to be sentenced on that basis, but the defendants' lawyers strongly deny any terrorist involvement. Separately, BBC News reported that British security chiefs believe an Iranian proxy may have been connected to the attack, citing a US case against a man accused of orchestrating attacks across Europe who allegedly posted propaganda about the ambulance fire.
A fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, 18, from Walthamstow, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender. He is alleged to have helped dispose of the car used in the attack. His trial is set for 27 January 2025. The four men who pleaded guilty have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced after that trial concludes, likely in the spring.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four men pleaded guilty to destroying or damaging property while being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. | ||||
| The ambulances contained gas canisters that exploded during the fire. | · | |||
| The arson attack caused approximately £1 million in damage. | · | |||
| The attack targeted the Jewish community and had a terrorist connection. | · | |||
| A fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, pleaded not guilty to assisting an offender and will go on trial at the Old Bailey in January. | · | · | ||
| Prosecutors alleged a terrorist connection to the attack, which defence lawyers disputed. | · | · | ||
| CCTV footage shows three men approaching ambulances before setting them on fire. | · | · | · | |
| There was an alleged Iranian connection to the attack, with British security chiefs confident of a proxy link. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News focused on the prosecution's suggestion of a terrorist connection and the detailed financial cost of the attack. It reported the defendants' names, ages, and locations, and noted that the fourth man waited in a car. The tone was factual but highlighted the seriousness of the crime, including the risk to life from exploding gas canisters.
- “the prosecution making it clear earlier that this was an attack targeting the Jewish community and the suggestion that this was an incident that had a terrorist connection.”
- “each of those ambulancings costing around a quarter of a million pounds each.”
5 News focused on the visual evidence of the attack (CCTV footage) and the broader context of anti-Semitic attacks, mentioning that it occurred less than six months after a fatal attack on a synagogue in Manchester. It emphasised the shock and terror inflicted on the Jewish community and quoted prosecutors describing the attack as premeditated and targeted.
- “prosecutors described the attack on the ambulances as a premeditated and targeted attack Against the Jewish community”
- “happening less than six months after the fatal attack on Manchester's Heaton synagogue”
BBC ONE West provided the most detailed background, including the unresolved question of a terrorist connection and an alleged Iranian link. It reported that prosecutors want the men sentenced on a terrorism basis, while defence lawyers deny any terrorist involvement. It also introduced a man accused in the US of orchestrating attacks across Europe, who allegedly posted propaganda about the ambulance fire, and noted that British security chiefs are confident an Iranian proxy was involved.
- “There was a question raised about whether there was a terrorism connection to this case. The prosecutors say they want the men to be sentenced on that basis. Lawyers for the men vehemently deny that and say none of these men are connected to terrorism.”
- “the evidence against him alleged in the US says that he posted propaganda about the ambulances attack in London and therefore British security chiefs are pretty confident that an Iranian proxy and this man had some kind of connection to these incidents.”
ITV Evening News provided a straightforward summary of the court hearing, naming the defendants, the charge, and the damage estimate. It noted that a fifth defendant pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in January. The tone was neutral and factual, without exploring the terrorism or Iran angles.
- “Four of the men pleaded guilty here at the Old Bailey today.”
- “The prosecutors say they believe the incident was targeted against the Jewish community.”
This short segment provided a condensed summary of the guilty plea, the reckless charge, and the explosion of gas canisters. It did not include details on the fifth defendant, terrorism, or the Iranian angle. The tone was brief and factual, serving as a news bulletin item.
- “Four men have pleaded guilty to destroying four Jewish community ambulances in an arson attack back in March.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.