UK security agency MI5 has raised the risk of a terrorist attack to “severe”.
Last week, two Jewish men were stabbed in north London, in what police have now categorised as a terrorist attack. It came weeks after arsonists targeted a Jewish ambulance service, which police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
Now, MI5 has declared a terror attack on UK soil is “highly likely,” putting the country at “severe” risk.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
MI5 operates the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), which determines the UK’s level of threat of a terrorist attack.
There are five levels of threat, from low to critical. Since February, the threat level has been “substantial”, meaning it is considered “likely” that there will be an attack.
Last month, ambulances operated by Jewish volunteer organisation Hatzola were set alight in the north London suburb of Golders Green. Police have treated the incident as an antisemitic hate crime.
Stabbing
On Wednesday (UK time), London Metropolitan Police (The Met) responded to a stabbing incident in Golders Green.
Two Jewish men, aged 76 and 34, were attacked.
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A 45-year-old man – who also attacked police – was arrested at the scene. Police then formally declared the attack a terrorist incident.
At the 2021 Census, almost half the population of Golders Green identified as Jewish.
Threat level
On Thursday (local time), JTAC raised the UK threat level from “substantial” to “severe”.
“Severe” is one level below the highest rating, “critical”, which means authorities predict an attack is highly likely in the near future.
The rating applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but does not include
“Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Northern Ireland”. This threat level is “substantial”.
Head of Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said: "Today the Home Secretary has confirmed that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has raised the terrorism threat level in the UK from substantial to severe.
"This means it is now highly likely that a terrorist attack could happen in the UK.
"As we've seen, the UK has been experiencing a gradual increase in terrorist threats for some time, driven by a rise in both Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism.
"Following yesterday's horrific terrorist attack, and incidents targeting the Jewish community across the country, there is already an enhanced police response in place and all police forces will be reviewing this in light of the change in the threat level."
