3 in 1 week: Attempted firebomb attack reported at London synagogue

An attempted firebomb attack was reported at a synagogue in northwest London, with local reports saying a device was thrown into the building, causing damage but no injuries. This was the third attempted attack of a similar nature in the area this week, raising concerns about a pattern of incidents targeting Jewish-linked sites.

According to reports, attackers targeted Kenton United Synagogue in the Harrow area, where a firebomb was thrown through a window. The device is said to have smashed through a medical room window and caused damage inside the building.

Police and fire crews responded to the scene, along with security teams from the Community Security Trust. Access to the site was blocked as emergency services and investigators began examining the incident.

There was no immediate confirmation from authorities regarding arrests or suspects. Officials have not yet released further details about the device or the extent of the damage.

The latest incident comes amid heightened security measures at Jewish institutions in parts of London, as authorities continue to monitor and investigate a series of related cases, with three reported only in this past week.

These include attempted arson attacks on a Persian-language media organization and a synagogue in Finchley, as well as an arson attack on a business in northwest London on Friday night, which British police are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime.

Counterterrorism officers are leading a wider probe into the similar incidents targeting Jewish-linked sites in recent weeks, such as the ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity that were set on fire in Golders Green in March.

The UK's Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented following the third such event this week, saying he was "appalled by recent attempted antisemitic arson attacks" in the area. He described the attacks as "abhorrent" and stated that "any attack on our Jewish community is an attack on Britain." He added that visible police presence will be increased in the area and that the attackers will be apprehended.