British police release on bail men arrested over Jewish ambulance attack

LONDON – Two men arrested over a London arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation have been released on bail, the British police said on March 26.

The men, aged 47 and 45 and both of British nationality, were detained on March 25 on suspicion of “arson with intent to endanger life”, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

This offence carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Nobody was physically hurt, but the incident was being treated by police as an “an anti-semitic hate crime”.

The ambulances were set on fire early on March 23 while they were parked next to a synagogue in the Golders Green area of north-west London, which has a large Jewish population.

The attack targeted ambulances run by the volunteer organisation Hatzola, which provides free medical transportation and emergency response to those living in north London.

The pair have been bailed “to a date in April” while the investigation continues.

“Although the two men have been released from police custody, there are strict bail conditions in place while we continue to investigate their suspected involvement in this incident,” said commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, which is leading the investigation.

“We continue to work to try and identify all of those involved in this appalling attack and the investigation team is working around the clock to do this.” AFP