A man charged in connection with an alleged arson attack on a former synagogue building in east London appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Moses Edwards, 45, of Wanstead, has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life following the incident at the former East London Central Synagogue in Whitechapel on May 5.
Police and firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 5:15 a.m. local time after a fire broke out at the front of the building. Authorities said the blaze caused minor damage to a gate and lock. No injuries were reported.
Edwards was remanded in custody ahead of a further court hearing scheduled for next month. He did not enter a plea during the hearing.
According to investigators, CCTV footage indicates the fire was started deliberately. Due to the nature of the incident and the building’s connection to the Jewish community, the investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing London.
Police said the former synagogue property is currently in the process of being sold to the Ashaadibi Education and Cultural Centre, a local Somali Muslim organization. The group publicly condemned the alleged attack.
A 52-year-old woman was also arrested on Sunday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson as part of the ongoing investigation. She has since been released on bail pending further inquiries and is due to return in August.
The incident comes amid a series of recent attacks and attempted attacks targeting Jewish, Israeli and Iranian-linked sites across Britain.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, described the arrests as a “significant step" in the investigation.
“Our aim continues to arrest and charge all those responsible for the arson attacks and other incidents targeted at Jewish, Israeli and Iranian sites in recent weeks," she stated. “We will not tolerate these hateful attacks on communities."