London, United Kingdom — London police said Tuesday that Counter Terrorism police were investigating a new arson incident targeting the Jewish community after a blaze at a former synagogue.

Firefighters were called to a building in east London early in the morning, the capital’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Only minor damage was caused to the gates of the building, formerly the East London Central Synagogue, located on Nelson Street in the Tower Hamlets borough of the capital.

“Initial CCTV enquiries indicate that the fire was started intentionally at approximately 05:10hrs and the incident is being treated as arson,” said the statement.

“Given the nature of the incident and the location being a former synagogue, the incident is being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing London.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who heads policing in the area, said in the statement that officers were “taking this incident extremely seriously.”

“The building targeted has not been operational as a synagogue for some years, but that will be of little comfort to the Jewish community in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and beyond, who are first in my thoughts this morning,” she said, and added the local residents........

© The Times of Israel