London: Amid escalation in violence in the troubled Gaza strip, three youths have tried to torch a synagogue in London, police said today.

There are also reports that Islamic extremists are drawing up a "hit-list" of Britain's leading Jews, bringing the Middle East conflict terrifyingly close to home.

According to police, arsonists first tried to smash open a window of a synagogue at Brondesbury Park in northwest London but failed because of the toughened glass in place to protect such buildings from terrorist attacks.

Having been thwarted, they tried to set the front door of the building alight with petrol, causing some damage to the exterior of the premises, Mark Gardner of the Jewish Charity, said.

Meanwhile, according to a report in The Sun today, the TV channels apprentice boss Sir Alan Sugar, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ranson are among other prominent names who found a place the extremists hit-list.

Labour Peer and friend of former prime minister Tony Blair, Lord Levy, Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Princess Diana's lawyer Anthony Julius are also understood to be potential targets.

British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey said online forum Ummah is being used to prepare a deadly backlash against UK Jews.

His warning came as Europe was hit by anti-Semitic attacks over Israel's push into the Gaza strip.

On the Ummah site, "Saladin1970" asks for help compiling "a list of those who support Israel".
Source : PTI