MI5 tackling more state threats than during Cold War, warns intelligence chief
MI5 says Russia and Iran are expanding hybrid campaigns as more than 50 Iran-linked arrests were made in the past year, the spy chief said.
- On Tuesday, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum warned that Iran is "ramping up attempts to hit harder targets," such as military sites in Britain, while Russia escalates hybrid warfare against Ukraine's allies.
- MI5 is now devoting more time to "state threats" than during the Cold War, McCallum said, as the agency confronts what he called "a new era of national security" comparable to post-9/11 transformation.
- Recently, two Iranians were charged with "preparing to commit an act of terrorism" targeting Manchester's Jewish community, allegedly identifying the Jewish Museum and Heaton Park Synagogue as potential targets.
- Russia remains "aggressor number one," McCallum said, employing tactics short of conventional conflict including attempted drone attacks on cargo planes and cyberattacks on energy infrastructure across Europe.
- British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday Tehran was "highly likely" behind a suspected plot against RAF Fairford, as McCallum characterized Iran as "the other state keen on subcontracting its UK violence.
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MI5 Chief Flags 'Major Shift' in Iran Plots
Iran is no longer just eyeing soft targets in the West, granting to Britain's domestic spy chief. In an annual threat speech, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said a suspected plot against RAF Fairford —an English base used by US B-1 bombs to launch strikes on Iran—points to a...
MI5 Chief Warns Hostile States Are Escalating Cyber Strikes Against Western Allies
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum issued an urgent warning about digital threats from abroad. Hostile foreign powers are launching dangerous cyber campaigns against Western targets. Hostile actors now target daily public life, not just military sites. Adversaries deliberately seek to disrupt electricity grids, water systems, and local businesses. State-backed operators aim to undermine societal cohesion and create widespread public anxiety. Thes…
Iran, Russia ramping up hybrid campaigns in Britain, MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum says
McCallum added that AI was "supercharging the cybersecurity contest between attackers and defenders," and terrorists were exploiting it to improve reconnaissance and attack methodologies.
Iran and Russia Intensify Hybrid Warfare Against Britain, UK Spy Chief Warns
Iran is increasing its attempts to target military sites in Britain, while Russia is stepping up its hybrid warfare against Ukraine’s allies, according to MI5 Director General Ken McCallum. In his speech detailing threats to Britain, McCallum expressed concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) by terrorists to develop bioweapons or create new pathogens. […]
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