U.K police investigating if attacks in London are the work of Iranian proxies
NPR • • world
Key Points:
- U.K. police are investigating a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites in London, probing possible links to Iranian proxies as part of a broader campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community.
- The attacks, including fires at synagogues and Jewish charity ambulances, have been claimed by a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which Israel and U.K. authorities suspect may have ties to Iran.
- No injuries have been reported, but multiple arrests have been made, and police have increased security presence in affected areas, emphasizing that those responsible will be brought to justice.
- Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attacks, highlighting the serious threat to the Jewish community and British society, with Starmer calling the acts "abhorrent" and intolerable.
- Authorities remain cautious about the group's legitimacy, suggesting it may be a flag of convenience, while also investigating a related threat involving Israel’s London embassy, which was ultimately found to be non-harmful.
