The United Kingdom raised its terrorist threat level to “severe” on Thursday, estimating that an attack is now “highly likely”, after an anti-Semitic knife attack that occurred the day before in north London. “Today, the national threat level was raised to ‘severe,’ meaning a terrorist attack is considered highly likely.”declared the Minister of the Interior Shabana Mahmoodquoted in a government press release relayed by AFP.
This measure follows the attack on Wednesday, during which two Jewish men were stabbed in the Golders Green district. The police described the incident as a “terrorist act”. But the authorities also mention a “more general increase in the Islamist and far-right terrorist threat”emanating from individuals or small groups present on British territory.
A series of anti-Semitic acts
The attack is part of a series of fires and attempts targeting synagogues since the end of March in northwest London, where there is a large Jewish community. Although these incidents did not cause any casualties, they contributed to reinforcing an already palpable climate of concern. The country remains marked by a deadly attack that occurred in October in Manchester, in a synagogue, in a context of an increase in anti-Semitic acts in recent years.
During the day, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer went to Golders Green, where he was booed by protesters. He called for “unite to fight anti-Semitism”while denouncing certain slogans heard during pro-Palestinian demonstrations organized since the start of the war in Gaza. “If you stand with people who call to “globalize the intifada”, you call for acts of terrorism against the Jews”he declared, believing that such comments should be the subject of prosecution.
25 million pounds allocated to security
The head of government also pointed out “the malicious threat posed by states like Iran”accused of wanting to harm British Jews. He reaffirmed his intention to propose banning the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Faced with the situation, the British government announced additional funding of 25 million pounds to strengthen security and patrols around places frequented by the Jewish community.
As local elections approach, the subject is also entering the political debate. Nigel Farageleader of the Reform UK party, accused the authorities of being too “lax” in the face of anti-Semitism, while the leader of the conservative opposition Kemi Badenoch went there on Wednesday. The two victims, aged 34 and 76, were in “stable condition” last night, according to police. One of them testified to the BBC, believing that her survival was a matter of“a great miracle”.
The suspect, a 45-year-old British man born in Somalia, was arrested at the scene for attempted murder. Authorities say he had a history of violence and psychological disorders, and that he had been reported in 2020 as part of an extremism prevention program, without further action. A little-known group, calling itself “Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiyya”, claimed responsibility for several recent fires in London and elsewhere in Europe, and welcomed Wednesday’s attack. Experts, however, remain cautious about its real existence, citing a possible influence strategy inspired by pro-Iranian militias.
