Two more men have been charged in connection with an alleged arson attack on a London company with links to Ukraine, bringing the total number of suspects to seven.
It comes after two British men were charged in April with assistance to a foreign intelligence service in connection with a major fire that broke out on an industrial estate in Leyton in March.
It is clear that the foreign country in question is Russia.
On Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said Jakeem Barrington Rose, 22, and Ugnius Asmena, 19, had been charged with aggravated arson. Neither is accused of having links to Russian intelligence.
They were arrested on Thursday and appeared in court earlier on Saturday.
Mr Asmena has no fixed address, was born in Lithuania and previously unsuccessfully applied for EU Settled status, the court was told.
Mr Rose, from Croydon, is also charged with possession of a knife.
During the brief hearing, neither was asked to enter a plea.
Earlier this year, Dylan Earl and Jake Reeves were charged with National Security Act violations in connection with the fire, becoming the first two people to be prosecuted under the new law.
The legislation is intended to counter alleged espionage, sabotage and foreign interference.
Mr. Earl is accused of planning to attack the company, attempting to recruit individuals to provide material support to a foreign intelligence agency, and of engaging in fraudulent activities and arson.
Mr Reeves is accused of accepting money knowing it came from a foreign intelligence service.
Three other suspects – Dmitrijus Paulauska, Paul English and Kojo Mensah – have previously been charged with lesser offences unrelated to national security law.
The trial is expected to begin in June next year.
On Saturday, Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said there was no wider threat to the public and that “enquiries are ongoing”.
