The head of MI5, Ken McCallum, has warned about increasing dangers from Russia and Iran. He explained that Russia is trying to create trouble in the UK because of Britain's support for Ukraine. Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, is behind these harmful actions, which include setting fires and damaging property in the UK.

McCallum also shared his worries about Iran, which has been involved in 20 plans aimed at harming people in the UK since January 2022. These dangerous plans were supported by the Iranian government and could have caused serious harm. MI5 has been working with other agencies to stop these threats and protect people in the UK.

According to McCallum, Russia is using criminals and private intelligence officers to carry out its missions in Britain. The GRU, Russia’s military intelligence wing, is running sustained missions to generate mayhem across the UK. This has led to several incidents, including fires and acts of sabotage. McCallum warned that Britain should expect to see more of these aggressive actions in the near future as Russia continues its campaign.

Russia
Image Source: University of Rochester

Iran has been planning more terrorist attacks very quickly over the past two years, which has made the British security service pay closer attention, especially with the problems in the Middle East. McCallum said that Iran’s actions are making it easier for terrorist activities from other countries to happen, and this poses a serious danger to Britain.

Since March 2017, MI5 and the police have stopped 43 terrorist plans that were close to being carried out. Some of these plans involved using guns and bombs, which could have saved many lives by stopping them in time. The head of MI5 said that both government-backed plots and individual terrorist attacks are still a big worry.

In his speech, McCallum also addressed the alarming rise in children who are being investigated for terrorism, with a marked increase of young people being coerced into extreme right-wing ideologies. He said that under-18s now account for 13% of all terror-related investigations, a number that has tripled over the course of the past three years.

The internet is a big reason for the rise in extremism, as harmful content is easy to find online. McCallum pointed out that young people are being affected by things they see on the internet, like dangerous memes and messages that fit into online culture. Many kids are being exposed to hateful ideas from their own homes, which makes it harder for authorities to notice and stop early.

Extreme right-wing terrorism has been identified as a major driver of this increase, with much of the propaganda being specifically designed to appeal to young audiences. McCallum added that there is no consistent ideology guiding these individuals, but the overall trend is worrying.

these MI5 faces head-on. In practical terms, the UK’s current threat level is classified as substantial, which means an attack is likely. Possible evidence may be that McCallum disclosed in his speech that the Islamic State group has actually increased efforts to export terrorism to Britain and plots by hostile states surged by nearly 50% in the past year.

In response to these threats, MI5 continues to work with police forces and other intelligence agencies to protect the public and disrupt any potential attacks before they can take place.

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