Tottenham man placed flammable liquid inside Iranian embassy vehicle

Sam Parsa put the bottle containing a rag soaked in a mix of petrol and diesel into the exhaust of the unattended vehicle in Knightsbridge in September 2018.

The bottle was later spotted and removed after a member of the public alerted police officers.

Officers from the counter terrorism command led the investigation and through DNA, mobile phone data and CCTV analysis, identified 60-year-old Parsa, of High Road, Tottenham, as the culprit and showed that he was in the area of the Iranian Embassy on the date and time of the offence.

Tests found that the bottle could have ignited in certain conditions.

The bottle found in the exhaust pipe of a diplomatic vehicle near the Iranian embassy. Credit: Met Police

Parsa was arrested on November 28 2018, and he was subsequently released under investigation.

On April this year, Parsa was charged by postal requisition with attempted arson with intent to endanger life contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.

He was found guilty of this offence on December 16 last year and was sentenced at the Old Bailey on May 20 to a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Sam Parsa of High Road, Tottenham. Credit: Met Police

Commander Richard Smith, head of the Met’s counter terrorism command, said: "Parsa’s reckless actions could have endangered lives. Following a thorough investigation by detectives, officers swiftly identified Parsa and obtained the vital evidence which proved he was at the scene.

"I would like to praise the member of public who spotted the bottle and did the right thing by reporting it to police quickly, averting a potentially dangerous situation.

"More people are now going out in public and gathering for events and social visits with the COVID-19 restrictions easing, and this is excellent news for everyone. However, there are people who may see this as an opportunity to commit crime against others.

"While people have no reason to be alarmed, it remains important that people remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police. Police rely on information from communities to detect and deal with crime and as this case demonstrates, your call could prevent someone from coming to harm."