Four admit arson attack on Jewish ambulances in Golders Green

Four men have admitted to destroying four Jewish community ambulances in an arson attack that caused an estimated £1 million in damage. Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, and Saif Ali, all 18, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to a charge of destroying or damaging property while being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. The attack took place in Golders Green in the early hours of March 23.

Details of the attack

The four ambulances belonged to Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area. Each vehicle was valued at between £240,000 and £250,000. The blaze also damaged four electrical charging stations and cables, each costing approximately £5,000. The resulting fire caused gas canisters inside the ambulances to explode, and nearby flats and a synagogue sustained damage.

Prosecutors believe the incident was a targeted attack against the Jewish community. Three of the defendants are said to have set fire to the vehicles, while a fourth waited in a blue Toyota Avensis, which was allegedly sourced by Saif Ali. On his arrest on April 1, Ali, who was 17 at the time, reportedly threw his mobile phone out of the window. He had been in contact with someone in February regarding the purchase of a blue Toyota Avensis and had researched ambulance costs online.

Legal proceedings and sentencing

Judex Atshatshi, Rehan Khan, and Hamza Iqbal entered their pleas via video-link from Wandsworth and Pentonville jails, while Saif Ali appeared in the dock. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered pre-sentence reports for all four men. They have been remanded in custody, and their sentencing is scheduled for spring 2027, to take place after a separate trial concludes. At the same hearing, a fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, 18, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assisting an offender. Ahmed, who is alleged to have helped dispose of the car used in the attack, is scheduled to go to trial at the Old Bailey on January 27 next year.