LONDON – British police said on April 17 they were investigating a security incident near the Israeli Embassy in London after a group reported online that it had targeted the premises with drones.
Mr Matt Jukes, the head of counter-terrorism at London police, said there were no signs that the embassy had been attacked, but officers in protective clothing were assessing “discarded items” found near the building.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” Mr Jukes said in a televised statement.
“And whilst we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we’re carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens.”
Mr Jukes said the police presence had been stepped up and cordons had been put in place, meaning there was no public access to Kensington Gardens and the surrounding area.
“We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this time and we would urge people, nonetheless, to avoid the area while officers carry out their work,” Mr Jukes said.
The Israeli embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was the latest in a number of incidents involving the embassy and Jewish sites in the British capital in recent weeks.
In March, several ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer emergency service Hatzola were set alight while parked near a synagogue in the Golders Green area of north London.
Earlier this week, two suspects were arrested over an attempted arson attack on a synagogue in north London, although police said the incidents were not believed to be linked.
In March, two men were charged with being tasked by Iran to carry out hostile surveillance on the Israeli embassy and other Jewish targets, while earlier this week a man from Kuwait went on trial accused of planning a terrorism attack on the embassy.
On April 16, Mr Jukes said he understood why conflict overseas and heightened tensions in Britain would be “deeply worrying”.
“London’s Jewish communities and the Iranian diaspora in London have, in recent years, been increasingly targeted by individuals, groups and hostile states intent on spreading fear, hate and harm,” he said. REUTERS