politics
UK Raises Terrorism Threat Level to Severe
The UK has elevated its national terrorism threat level to 'severe,' indicating a highly likely attack within six months. The US embassy in London issued a security alert advising Americans to stay alert in public places and vary travel routes. The changes follow recent incidents including stabbings and a rise in Islamist and extreme right-wing threats.
May 2, 2:04 AM·2m read2 sources
ukdefencejournal.org.ukAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The UK raised its national terrorism threat level to 'severe' on Friday, signaling that an attack is highly likely within the next six months. The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (Jtac), part of MI5, made the assessment amid a gradual increase in terrorist threats.
MI5 stated the UK has been experiencing this rise for some time, driven by both Islamist and extreme right-wing threats from individuals and small groups.
The US embassy in London issued a security alert on Friday, warning Americans that an attack on the UK is highly likely. The embassy advised US citizens to remain alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, churches, tourist hotspots, and transport hubs.
It also recommended varying travel routes and times to reduce predictability and staying away from schools, churches, tourist locations, and transportation hubs.
The raised threat level follows the stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area of London on Wednesday. MI5 noted threats in particular to Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the context of the conflict in the Middle East. Last week, the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London was targeted, and an attack occurred on the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow.
Jtac states that Islamist terrorism remains the primary threat to the UK, while extreme right-wing terrorism is steadily rising. The US embassy warning is based on assessments by Jtac. 'Severe' is the second-highest level on Jtac's five-point scale, meaning a terrorist incident is likely.
