The bloody rampage that saw two Jewish men stabbed in Golders Green is the latest in a series of attacks being claimed by an Iranian-linked Islamist group known as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.
The horror attack on Wednesday is said to have been the work of the shadowy group – also known as Hayi – which has previously claimed a role in six other attacks against Jewish-affiliated buildings or interests in the UK.
Most recently, it claimed responsibility for an arson attack at the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, northwest London, on April 18. Little is known about the group, whose name translates as the Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand.
But it is thought to be a proxy for the Iranian regime as its claims are being promoted by pro-Shia Telegram channels. Intelligence services still know very little about it as it only emerged after the US and Israel’s war with Iran began.
It latest claim online attributes the attack to its “lone” attacker and attaches footage from the scene, the BBC reports. However there is some scepticism about the group’s claims.
Security analysts are questioning its claim to be responsible for the stabbing in Golders Green, believing that it is piggy-backing on attacks carried out by people unrelated to the group.
It is thought the group could be adopting a similar tactic to Islamic State, which regularly claimed involvement in attacks a decade ago in Europe when it had no direct role and used them as a propaganda tool.
However its credibility for the early attacks appeared more genuine because it posted video on the encrypted social media platform Telegram revealing knowledge of the attacks and was often the original source of information.
And the Israeli government said that it had evidence the group is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is tasked with carrying out attacks in Europe.
The group first emerged in early March through videos posted on the Telegram channels of Iran-allied militant groups and claims to embrace the beliefs of Ruhollah Khomeini, the first supreme leader of Iran.
Its name refers to the depiction of Judgement Day in Islam, where the people of the right hand will go to Paradise. Its logo, with a hand holding a rifle against a globe, invokes similar logos of Iran-linked Shia militias in Lebanon and Iraq.
Israeli officials suggested the timing of the group’s activation may be linked to reports of the death of a high-ranking pro-Iranian militia leader in Iraq and that its attacks were intended as retaliation.
The stabbings are the latest in a series of attacks on Jewish sites over recent weeks and have prompted calls for urgent action and accusations the Government has not done enough to tackle antisemitism.
Since late March, there have been a series of arson attacks, including Jewish community ambulances that were targeted in Golders Green, two synagogues and a former Jewish charity. Another incident involved a drone which was flown near the Israeli embassy.
Police have arrested more than 24 people for planning and conducting attacks linked to the group. Counter-terror cops were also searching an address in south-east London after it was reported the suspect was involved in a prior “altercation” with another person.
In the wake of the attacks, the British government said legislation creating proscription-like powers to pursue people and organisations acting on behalf of malign state-sponsored groups will also be “fast-tracked” in the coming weeks.
And an additional £25 million will be invested to increase security for Jewish communities, aimed at boosting police patrols and protections around synagogues, schools and community centres.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer previously told the Jewish Chronicle: “I am very worried about the increasing use of proxies by other countries.
“And obviously, there’s been a claim here by an Iranian-backed group and that’s why, first of all, it’s very important that our police work very closely with the community and with CST so that we can take the necessary criminal justice action.
“In relation to malign state actors more generally, proscription, we do need legislation in order to take necessary measures, and that is legislation that we’re bringing forward as soon as we can.
“We go into a new session in a few weeks’ time, and we’ll bring that legislation forward.”
A 45-year-old man, described as a British national born in Somalia, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was initially taken to hospital but has since been discharged and has been taken to a London police station where he remains in custody.
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