A 45-year-old man has appeared in court after being charged in connection with a suspected arson attack at a former synagogue site in east London, as authorities continue investigating a string of incidents targeting Jewish-linked locations.

Moses Edwards, of Wanstead, was brought before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, where he faced a charge of arson with intent to endanger life tied to a fire at the former East London Central Synagogue in Whitechapel on May 5.

Emergency services responded shortly after 5:15 a.m. local time when flames were reported at the front entrance of the building. Officials said the damage was limited to a gate and lock, and no injuries were reported.

Edwards was ordered held in custody and is scheduled to return to court next month. He did not enter a plea during his initial appearance.

Authorities say early findings suggest the fire was set deliberately, citing CCTV footage as part of the evidence. Given the building’s past use as a synagogue and its ties to the Jewish community, the case has been taken over by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

Investigators also noted that the property is currently being sold to the Ashaadibi Education and Cultural Centre, a Somali Muslim community organization. The group has publicly denounced the incident.

In a related development, a 52-year-old woman was arrested Sunday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson. She has since been released on bail and is expected to return for further questioning in August.

The case comes against the backdrop of a series of recent attacks and attempted attacks aimed at Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian-associated locations across the United Kingdom.

Commander Helen Flanagan, who leads 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.”

{Matzav.com}