Counter terrorism police are mystified over the motive for the firebomb attacks targeting Sir Keir Starmer.
Officers are set to ask for more time this afternoon to question a 21-year-old alleged arsonist arrested on suspicion of targeting the Prime Minister’s £2million family home in Kentish Town after torching a car and another property he had previously owned.
Specialist detectives from Scotland Yard’s SO15 counter-terror branch are exploring various lines of inquiry which will include whether a fixated individual bore a personal grudge against Sir Keir.
Today there were claims that a hostile state may be responsible for the three arson attacks between May 8-12.
In the last year, MI5 investigations into hostile state threats have risen by almost 50 per cent following a surge in assassination, kidnap, arson and sabotage plots.
But sources stressed that the investigation was being led by the police rather than MI5, with inquiries currently focusing on a suspect thought to be acting alone.
Downing Street have refused to comment on speculation about hostile state involvement, saying Prime Minister was ‘focused on the job at hand’ as the investigation continues, adding that police should be given the ‘time and space’ to complete their inquiries.
Investigators are said to be keeping an open mind as to the potential motive after the suspect was traced quickly within 24 hours of Monday’s attack on Sir Keir’s private home, which is currently rented to his sister-in-law.
It is unclear whether the suspect knew that Sir Keir’s relatives were living there when the attack happened at 1.11am on Monday.
A car once owned by the Prime Minister was set alight outside his home
Firefighters attended the blaze on May 8
A rental arrangement was declared through the ministerial register of interests, but as the income did not meet the £10,000-a-year threshold it did not have to be declared on the MPs’ register.
The blaze damaged the porch of the property, but firefighters were able to bring it under control within 20 minutes stopping it from spreading further indoors.
Although the matter is being investigated by counter terrorism officers, this is only because of the nature of the target.
The accused 21-year-old is currently not being held on suspicion of committing any terrorism offence.
He was arrested on Tuesday in Sydenham, South London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
A police officer stands outside Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s private home
Fire damage to a property formerly owned by the Prime Minister in Islington, north London,
No one was hurt in the attacks, which police believe was carried out with a ‘crude’ incendiary device hurled at the front door of the £2million property in Tufnell Park, the night after another flat in Islington which Sir Keir owned in the 1990s, was similarly targeted.
A simple google search would have revealed information on both addresses which remains publicly listed despite Sir Keir selling the flat in 1997.
Days before the Tufnell Park attack, a Toyota Rav4 parked outside the property was torched on Thursday night.
Sir Keir had previously been pictured with same hybrid SUV in October 2020 when he was involved in a minor accident with a Deliveroo cyclist in north London.
The collision left the cyclist with an injured arm, while Sir Keir’s vehicle was dented and scratched.
He later sold the car to a neighbour before moving to Downing Street.
Police believe the arsonist targeted the car due to its past association with the Labour leader and was probably unaware that it had been sold to a neighbour.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: ‘We are working at pace and continue to explore various lines of enquiry to establish the cause of the fires, and any potential motivation for these.
‘A key line of enquiry is whether the fires are linked due to the two premises and the vehicle all having previous links to the same high-profile public figure.
‘We recognise that this investigation may cause concern to other public figures – particularly MPs.’
