British authorities have filed charges against an 18-year-old man in connection with the March attack that destroyed four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah, marking the latest development in a case that has heightened security concerns within London’s Jewish community.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced Tuesday that Subhan Ahmed, a British citizen, was charged Monday with “assisting an offender” in relation to the arson attack.

The incident occurred during the early hours of March 23, when four Hatzolah  ambulances were deliberately set on fire in Golders Green, one of London’s largest Jewish neighborhoods. In the aftermath, police increased patrols and security measures in Jewish areas across the city.

The investigation is being handled by the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, which has continued to pursue multiple suspects connected to the attack.

Authorities have already brought charges against four other individuals in the case.

Those charged in April include British citizens Hamza Iqbal, 20, Rehan Khan, 19, and Judex Atshatshi, 18, as well as a 17-year-old dual British-Pakistani national. Prosecutors accused them of “committing arson, destroying or damaging property, and being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.”

All four suspects remain behind bars while awaiting a trial scheduled for January. Ahmed, by contrast, was released and is expected to appear in court on June 16.

The destruction of the ambulances was one of the first in a series of alarming incidents that have unsettled Jewish residents throughout London and prompted a heightened police presence in Jewish neighborhoods. Since then, authorities have responded to several cases involving incendiary devices placed near synagogues, as well as the April stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green. Last week, Metropolitan Police data showed that antisemitic hate crimes across London increased by 72 percent in May.

After news of Ahmed’s charge was made public, the Community Security Trust, which works to protect Britain’s Jewish community, expressed appreciation to investigators and prosecutors “for their ongoing work investigating this attack and other arson incidents targeting the Jewish community.”

The organization added, “These are very serious allegations, and it is right that those responsible are being held accountable.”

{Matzav.com}