MI5 Chief Warns About Increasing Threats from Islamic State, Russia, and Iran
UK Faces New Security Challenges
The head of the UK’s security service, MI5, Ken McCallum, has warned that the country is facing growing threats from terrorist groups like the Islamic State (IS) and state-backed activities from countries such as Russia and Iran. According to McCallum, his team faces enormous challenges preventing attacks, including assassination and sabotage plots.
Islamic State’s Return
McCallum explained that IS has become more active again, especially in Afghanistan. This resurgence has led to renewed efforts by the group to spread terrorism abroad. In addition, more UK citizens are attempting to travel overseas to join IS, mainly to learn from them. He said that the growing danger from IS and, to a lesser degree, al-Qaida is a significant concern for MI5.
“Over the last month, more than a third of our top investigations are linked to international terrorist groups,” McCallum shared. He stressed that the UK’s intelligence services are keeping a close watch on the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), a branch of IS in Afghanistan that has grown stronger after Western troops left the country.
Domestic Threats Linked to IS
In November last year, two brothers from Birmingham were sentenced to prison after trying to travel to Afghanistan to join ISKP. McCallum noted this as an example of the cases they are working on.
While McCallum said there hasn’t been a direct increase in terror plots linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the UK has seen more public disorder, hate crimes, and concerns about community safety. He added that terrorist threats often take time to develop, so the effects of the conflict in the Middle East might take a while to reach the UK.
Rising Threat from Iran
McCallum also warned about the increasing dangers posed by Iran. He revealed that five new plots backed by Iran were uncovered this year, bringing the total to 20 since early 2022. These plots often involve using criminal groups to carry out threats, mainly against Iranian dissidents living in the UK. MI5 is also prepared for the possibility that Iran might shift its focus to new targets, especially if they believe the UK is siding with Israel in the Middle East conflict.
Russia’s Dangerous Actions
According to McCallum, Russia remains a significant threat to UK and European security. Russian intelligence services, especially the GRU (Russia’s military intelligence agency), have been involved in arson, sabotage, and other forms of disruption in Europe. Since many Russian diplomats have been expelled from the UK and other European countries, Russia has increasingly turned to criminal networks to carry out its missions.
The number of investigations into state-backed actions, including from Russia, Iran, and China, has risen sharply. MI5 has seen a 48% increase in these cases over the past year. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s disruptive actions in Europe have intensified.
Ongoing Challenges for MI5
McCallum emphasized that MI5 is dealing with both terrorist threats and state-backed sabotage and assassination attempts. He said his agency is under immense pressure and has many complex threats to manage. The number of terrorist plots MI5 has stopped since March 2017 has increased to 43, with six of those foiled in the last two years.
In summary, the UK is facing severe challenges from terrorist groups and state-sponsored attacks, making it clear that MI5’s work is more critical than ever in keeping the country safe.
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