The head of MI5 observes a significant surge in assassination plots.
According to MI5's McCallum, there's been a notable surge in attempts at attacks on UK soil. He ascribes this to the actions of Russian and Iranian intelligence services, who allegedly employ criminals to execute these operations. In his discourse on the current threat level in London, McCallum revealed that his team and the police have successfully thwarted 20 plans traced back to Iran since January 2022. If Israel retaliates for recent Iranian rocket assaults, there's a possibility that Iran could ramp up its operations on British soil.
Russia's main military intelligence service, the GRU, is reportedly aiming to instigate "continuous disorder" on UK and other European streets through arson and sabotage, as stated by McCallum. He believes that Putin's associates are engaging in these acts in a misguided attempt to undermine Western resilience during the Ukraine conflict. Despite the expulsion of numerous Russian diplomats from various European countries on suspicion of spying, Russia's capacity to inflict harm has been weakened, but it still often utilizes criminals – ranging from "international drug traffickers" to "street-level things" – to carry out attacks.
Given the intricate interplay of terrorist threats and state-centered threats, McCallum acknowledged that MI5 is facing a "bloody tough challenge." The number of minors being scrutinized for terrorist activities has seen a significant increase due to online recruitment.
The United Kingdom remains a target of concern for both Russian and Iranian intelligence services, as highlighted by McCallum's statements about thwarted attacks on UK soil. Russia's GRU is reportedly trying to instigate disorder through arson and sabotage in the United Kingdom.
