At 12:15 p.m., an armed man named Ayman Mohamad Ghazali barreled a vehicle loaded with gasoline and fireworks into one of the temple's entrances and down a hallway, striking the director of security, Danny Phillips. Another security guard on duty acted quickly and stopped the attacker, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Today's arrests are part of a long-running investigation and part of our ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it. We understand the public may be concerned, in particular the Jewish community, and as always, I would ask them to remain vigilant and if they see or hear anything that concerns them, then to contact us.
Josh Breslaw was looking forward to a homecoming gig with his band of two decades' standing. Oi Va Voi, a predominantly Jewish collective mixing traditional eastern European folk tunes with drum'n'bass and dance, were due to conclude a spring tour of Turkey with a gig in May at Bristol's Strange Brew club, plus one in Brighton where Breslaw lives. But then, after protests from local activists about both the band's past performances in Israel, and with Israeli singer Zohara, Strange Brew abruptly cancelled, citing the ongoing situation in Gaza.
"At a time when London's Jewish communities are coming together to begin the celebration of Hannukah, we know this attack will be the cause of not just terrible upset but also significant heightened concern about safety. "We were already working closely with partners, including the Community Security Trust, to provide an increased presence around synagogues and other community venues at this important time.
