Two Jewish men stabbed in Iran-linked terror attack in London

Two men have been stabbed in a predominantly Jewish area of London in what police have declared a terrorist incident.

The Met Police said the two victims, aged 76 and 34, were treated at the scene for stab wounds. They were taken to hospital and both are in a stable condition.

The attacker also attempted to stab police officers, and was Tasered before being arrested.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed group calling itself Harakat Ashab Al Yamin Al Islamia, or Ashab Al Yamin, which translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right Hand.

The group has also claimed responsibility for the attacks on previous Jewish targets in London and that on Iran International TV. It is suspected to be a front for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Following a familiar pattern, Ashab Al Yamin posted footage from the scene on a Telegram channel aligned to Iraqi Shia militias.

Jewish security group Shomrim said a man was seen running along Golders Green Road armed with a knife and “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”.

The suspect was initially tackled by Shomorim volunteers before the police arrived on the scene soon after.

A 45-year-old man is being held on suspicion of attempted murder. Officers are working to establish his nationality and background.

The Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “This has now formally been declared a terrorist incident.”

The head of the Met Police, Sir Mark Rowley, said the man arrested has a history of serious violence and mental health problems and officers believed he had a bomb when they confronted the suspect.

He said anti-Semitism was being fuelled by “hostile states, the extreme right and the extreme left” who are given space to operate because of “weak” civil debate.

He said: “Where is the solidarity with fellow Londoners who are being targeted simply for who they are? Legitimate debate about international affairs should never be allowed to legitimise anti-Semitism or violence against British Jews here on the streets of London.

“When that line is blurred, attacks become more likely. We’ve seen a rise in racist and anti-Semitic hate crime. And whilst I can’t comment on live investigations, we know that some individuals are being encouraged, persuaded or paid to commit acts of violence on behalf of foreign organisations and hostile states.”

Ben Grossnass, a volunteer in Shomrim’s emergency response unit, said: “We got a phone call to the hotline at 11.20am this morning, we were on the scene within a minute-and-a-half of the phone call.

“I saw a lot of shock in the street and the attacker was having CPR, I think he went into cardiac arrest after being tasered.

Footage shared on line shows a man being confronted by police and member of the public before being overwhelmed. CCTV shows an attacker walking up to a man at a bus stop and stabbing him.

The scene is about a kilometre from a memorial wall where an attempted arson attack took place on Monday, and near where four Hatzola ambulances were destroyed by fire last month.

These incidents came after a series of arson attacks on Jewish sites and institutions in north London and the Iran International TV station, which is opposed to the regime in Tehran.

Mr Starmer said he had been told of the incident before attending Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. “It is deeply concerning to everyone in this House,” he said.

“There is now a police investigation, and I think we all need to do everything we can to support that investigation and be absolutely clear in our determination to deal with any of these offences, the like of which we have seen too much recently.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the stabbings as “yet another appalling anti-Semitic attack”, amid calls for a clampdown on Iran.

“The Jewish community are not being properly protected from this hate,” he added. “We have seen Iran sponsoring anti-Semitic attacks and Islamist extremism run rampant. The government must urgently step up tangible actions against anti-Semitism, Iran and Islamist extremism.”

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said “words of condemnation are no longer sufficient” and called for “meaningful action” following the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London.

“This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country. This is a hatred that we must face down together.”

The Israeli foreign ministry also called for stronger action.

“After attacks on synagogues, Jewish institutions, community ambulances and now Jews targeted in Golders Green, the UK Government can no longer claim this is under control,” it said.

“Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statements are no substitute for confronting the roots of antisemitism festering across the United Kingdom.

“British Jews should not need security patrols and emergency volunteers to live openly as Jews. Enough words. The UK must act decisively and urgently.