Two men and a boy have been remanded in custody after appearing in court accused of torching four Jewish community ambulances in London.

The ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service operating in the Golders Green area of northwest London, were set on fire in the early hours of March 23rd.

The fire caused gas canisters stored in the vehicles to explode, resulting in £1 million (€1.15 million) worth of damage, Westminster Magistrates Court heard.

British men Hamza Iqbal (20) and Rehan Khan (19), from Leyton, east London, and a 17-year-old boy, of dual British-Pakistani nationality, from Walthamstow, are each charged with one count of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

The accused, who were arrested as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) investigation, did not enter pleas and were remanded in custody during the hearing, which lasted about 45 minutes on Saturday afternoon.

The court heard a fourth suspect was arrested in connection with the alleged arson at court on Saturday morning.

Prosecutor Emma Harraway told the court: “There is significant evidence that this was a premeditated and targeted attack against the Jewish community.”

Prosecutors do not yet know the motivation for the alleged attack, which “specifically targeted” the ambulances, the court heard.

The case is not being treated as terrorism but CTP said due to “the circumstances of the incident” the investigation is being led by its detectives.

The defendants spoke only to confirm their personal details during the hearing, which took place before a full public gallery of relatives.

Both men were remanded into custody and the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded into youth detention accommodation.

The three defendants are set to appear at the Old Bailey on April 24th.

Two other men aged 45 and 47 who were arrested last week, and are also British, were released on bail until late April. – PA