Masked yobs plead guilty to torching four Jewish ambulances in chilling ‘hate’ attack in London

FOUR men have pleaded guilty to torching four Jewish ambulances in a chilling “hate” attack that caused more than £1million of damage. Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, Judex Atshatshi, and Saif Ali, both aged 18, today pleaded guilty to destroying or damaging property being reckless whether life would be endangered. The ambulances were completely destroyed by the flames Credit: Splash The four men were charged with destroying or damaging property being reckless whether life would be endangered Credit: PA Atshatshi, Khan and Iqbal entered their pleas by video-link from Wandsworth and Pentonville jails. Ali was in the dock at the Old Bailey to enter his plea. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Three of the defendants were said to have set fire to the fully stocked vehicles, in Golders Green, North London in March. The fourth defendant waited in a blue Toyota Avensis while his co-defendants carried out the arson attack. After starting the inferno, the defendants fled the scene with gas canisters inside the ambulances exploding and causing further damage. Six fire engines and 40 firefighters rushed to the scene Credit: Getty The ambulances cost between £240,000 and £250,000 each Credit: Getty Nearby flats and a synagogue were also damaged by the inferno that the defendants started. The ambulances – belonging to volunteer emergency service Hatzola – were set ablaze in the early hours of the morning in March. Each of the vehicles cost between £240,000 and £250,000, the court heard. Most read in The Sun Four electrical charging stations and cables costing approximately £5,000 each were also damaged during the attack. Terrified residents were awakened by a series of loud explosions as flames ripped through the ambulances in the early hours. Six fire engines and 40 firefighters were scrambled to the scene at around 1.45am to try and bring the flames under control. Counter-terrorism detectives led the investigation into the incident, subsequently bringing the four men into custody. A court was previously told that on his arrest on April 1, Ali threw his mobile phone out of a window. The defendant, then aged 17, had been in contact with someone in February and had been trying to buy a blue Toyota Avensis from them. He had reportedly also done research online about how much ambulances cost. The prosecution alleged Ali went on to source the Toyota that was used in the attack with messages on his phone showing him discussing the purchase of the vehicle with a co-defendant. Prosecutors have said they believe the arson incident was a targeted attack against the Jewish community. It was further alleged that the defendants had intended to destroy or damage the property or were “reckless” as to whether it would be destroyed and life endangered. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb ordered pre-sentence reports for Iqbal and Khan, from Leyton, east London, Atshatshi, from Dagenham, east London, and Ali, of dual British-Pakistani nationality, from Walthamstow. Remanding them in custody, the judge said their sentencing would take place in the spring of 2027 at the conclusion of a separate trial. At the same hearing, a fifth defendant, Subhan Ahmed, 18, from Walthamstow, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assisting an offender. Ahmed is alleged to have helped to get rid of the car used in the attack. He will go on trial at the Old Bailey on January 27 next year.