Dramatic news from London. The services are increasing the level of threat

The terrorism threat level in the UK was raised from significant to serious on Friday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said. The decision was made a day after two men of Jewish origin were attacked in London by a knife.

Serious – the fourth on a five-point scale – means that security services believe a terrorist attack is highly likely within the next six months, but they have no specific intelligence on where, when or by whom it would be carried out. The last time the threat was at a severe level was between November 2021 and February 2022.

The threat assessment is carried out by the Joint Terrorist Analysis Center (JTAC) – a British counterintelligence unit that issues recommendations independently of the government. It stressed that the increased threat level was not solely due to Wednesday's attack in London's Golders Green, but was the result of the overall growing threat from Islamists and the far right, both individuals and small groups, over some time.

Today the national threat level has increased to 'severe', meaning a terrorist attack is considered highly likely. I know this will be a source of concern for many people, especially among our Jewish community, which has suffered so much,” Mahmood said.

She recalled that on Thursday morning the government announced the transfer of £25 million for the protection of Jewish communities, including synagogues and Jewish schools and social centers. “We will do everything in our power to eradicate the evil of anti-Semitism from society. As the threat level increases, I call on everyone to remain vigilant in their daily lives and report any suspicions to the police,” Mahmood added.

On Wednesday, two men of Jewish origin were attacked by a knifeman in Golders Green, north London. Police confirmed on Thursday that the perpetrator was born in Somalia, came to the UK as a child and has British citizenship, and that in 2020 he was ordered to participate in an anti-radicalization program.

This was the second attack targeting the Jewish community in London in recent weeks. They began with the burning of four ambulances belonging to the Jewish medical service in Golders Green on March 23. Since then, there have also been attempts to set fire to two synagogues, a memorial wall and a building where a Jewish charity organization was previously headquartered. (PAP)

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