London arson probe brings arrests to 23

April 22, 2026

Summary

U.K. police said eight more arrests brought the total to 23 in a London arson investigation involving Jewish-linked sites.

Why this matters

The investigation concerns repeated attacks on Jewish-linked sites in London and a media outlet critical of Iran, raising broader security concerns. The arrests also show how police are examining possible coordination and whether paid intermediaries were used.

U.K. counterterrorism officers investigating a series of arson attacks on Jewish and other sites in London made eight more arrests, bringing the total to 23, police said Tuesday.

The Metropolitan Police said seven of the arrests, made in the past 48 hours, were part of “a proactive investigation into alleged conspiracy to commit arson.” It said, “While it is believed that the intended target of this conspiracy is a venue related to the Jewish community, the specific target or venue is not known.”

Six sites have been targeted in recent weeks, police said. All but one were Jewish sites; the other was the offices of Iran International, a Persian media outlet critical of Iran’s clerical leadership. No injuries were reported. Police said one line of inquiry is whether Iranian proxies were involved.

Late Sunday, detectives arrested three men, ages 24, 25, and 26, in Harpenden, north of London. They were later released on bail.

On Monday, officers arrested a 25-year-old man in Stevenage, and a 26-year-old man and two women, ages 50 and 59, in a car near Birmingham, in western England. They remained in custody in London.

On Tuesday, police arrested a 39-year-old man in west London under terrorism laws in an investigation into “the discovery of jars of a non-hazardous substance” Friday in Kensington Gardens, near the Israeli Embassy. Police said a search was continuing at a property in east London.

The Metropolitan Police said that, of the 23 people arrested since March 23, eight had been charged with arson-related offenses, and 13 remained in custody or on bail under active investigation.

Police said earlier Tuesday that one of those charged was a teenage boy arrested after a bottle containing “some sort of accelerant” was thrown through a window at Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, northwest London, late Saturday. Smoke was seen inside, but no injuries were reported. A 17-year-old was charged with arson not endangering life and was due in court later Tuesday. A 19-year-old who was also arrested was released.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said police “will be relentless in our pursuit of anyone involved in carrying out or planning these arson attacks.” She added: “One of our key lines of inquiry is whether criminal proxies — that is to say people being paid money to carry out a crime — are being used.”

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