Reuters
—
British police arrested a third man in an investigation into a series of arson attacks in north London, including a fire at a house belonging to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
A 34-year-old man was arrested on Monday morning in Chelsea, southwest London, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Two other men — 21-year-old Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych and a 26-year-old man who has not been named — have also been arrested.
Lavrynovych was charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life over the three fires, which took place last week.
British police were called last week to the blaze at Starmer’s property in Kentish Town, north London — the constituency he represents. No one was injured, but the entrance to the home was damaged.
Starmer lived at the Kentish Town address with his wife and two children before moving into his official 10 Downing Street residence when he became prime minister last July.
Police are also investigating two other incidents — a fire at the entrance to an apartment block in nearby Islington and a fire involving a car, a Toyota RAV4, in Kentish Town, each taking place on separate days.
The car and both the properties were linked to Starmer, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday when Lavrynovych appeared in court.
Counter-terrorism police have led the investigation into the fires given the prime minister’s involvement.
Starmer has called the incidents “an attack on all of us, on our democracy and the values we stand for.”
