Two arrested over Kenton synagogue attack

A 17-year-old boy and 19-year-old man have been arrested over an arson attack aimed at a synagogue in north-west London, the Metropolitan Police has said.

A bottle containing a type of accelerant was thrown through the window of Kenton United Synagogue on Shaftesbury Avenue, Harrow at about midnight on Sunday, according to the force.

Minor damage was caused to the building, although no injuries were reported.

The Met's deputy commissioner Matt Jukes told the BBC on Monday there had been a total of 15 arrests in relation to six incidents where premises with Jewish connections had been targeted in London in recent weeks.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Jukes confirmed the Met was investigating Iranian-backed proxies linked to the recent incidents.

"I think that's a very serious line of inquiry in relation to these events, we've seen a pattern... people taking cash, as it looks like quick and easy money."

Most of the attacks appear to have been claimed online by the group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia - or the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right - which has recently claimed attacks across Europe.

The Met Police previously said it was investigating the authenticity of the claims and whether the group was linked to the incidents.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the arson attack as "cowardly" and said "a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation against the Jewish community of the UK is gathering momentum".

His statement shared on X said: "This sustained attack on our community's ability to worship and live in safety is an attack on the values that bind us all together."