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Four men have pleaded guilty to setting fire to four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in an arson attack in north London that caused an estimated £1 million in damage.
Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, 18, and Saif Ali, who can now be named after turning 18 in June, admitted a charge of destroying or damaging property by arson at the Old Bailey.
The court heard that Ali was responsible for obtaining the blue Toyota Avensis used by the group to travel from east London to Golders Green, in north London.
Three of the men allegedly set fire to the ambulances operated by Hatzola, a volunteer-run ambulance service that responds to emergency calls across north-west London. The fourth man remained inside the vehicle while the attack took place.
The incident happened during the early hours of 23 March this year. The fire caused gas canisters stored inside the fully equipped ambulances to explode, intensifying the blaze and increasing the damage.
Prosecutors said the attack resulted in approximately £1 million worth of damage. Nearby residential flats and a synagogue were also affected by the fire.
At an earlier court hearing, prosecutor Emma Harraway said there was "significant evidence" suggesting the incident was a planned and targeted attack against the Jewish community.
Prosecutor Leo Seelig told the court that he would argue to the sentencing judge that the attack had a "terrorist connection". However, all four defendants deny that the incident was connected to terrorism.
Prosecutors have previously said that the motive for the attack remains unknown. An Iran-aligned group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), has nevertheless claimed responsibility for the incident online.
Following the fire, police investigated whether Iranian proxies may have been involved in the attack, along with other incidents targeting Jewish people and locations in London.
Iran's embassy later rejected the allegations. In April, it said it "categorically rejects" claims that Iran had been involved in violent activities or incidents in the UK.
Iqbal and Khan, both from Leyton in east London, Atshatshi from Dagenham, and Ali, who has dual British-Pakistani nationality and is from Walthamstow, were all remanded in custody.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered the preparation of pre-sentence reports before the men are sentenced. Their sentencing is expected to take place in the spring of next year.
The charge states that the four men destroyed four ambulances belonging to the Hatzola charity and either intended to destroy or damage the vehicles or acted recklessly about whether the property would be destroyed and whether lives could be put at risk.
