MI5 spy chief warns of escalating threats from Russia, Iran and ISIS
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)
This report was created with support from enhanced software.
During his annual speech, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said Russia’s intelligence agency is on a mission to cause “mayhem” on the streets of the United Kingdom. McCallum said that the increase in activity came after the U.K. backed Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
UK facing threat of ‘plot after plot’ from Iran, warns MI5 chief
Click to see story on The IndependentMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots – Seymour Tribune
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsMI5 spies foil 43 terror plots since 2017 – saving thousands of lives
Click to see story on Daily MirrorMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on abc NewsISIS and al Qaeda presenting ‘resurgent’ terrorism threat, Britain’s MI5 chief warns
Click to see story on CNNMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on The Washington PostMI5 has foiled 43 terror attacks since the Manchester Arena bomb
Click to see story on Manchester Evening News‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on Wales OnlineMI5 chief says Russia and Iran behind rise in assassination plots in UK
Click to see story on Al JazeeraUK on ‘terror alert’ as MI5 chief sends ISIS and Al-Qaeda warning
Click to see story on Birmingham MailUK spy boss highlights surge in children linked to terror plots
Click to see story on DawnRussia and Iran are behind spike in terror plots, MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on EuronewsMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on The Hamilton SpectatorMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on CTV NewsRussia’s GRU seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in Britain and Europe, UK’s MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on Reuters‘Resurgent’ ISIS and al Qaeda targeting Europe once again, Britain’s MI5 chief warns
Click to see story on KRDORussia seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in UK, Europe, MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on South China Morning PostMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on KVIAMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressMI5 has foiled 43 ‘late stage’ terror plots since the Manchester Arena bombing
Click to see story on Liverpool EchoSpy chief warns of ‘Rise’ in UK assassination plots by Russia, Iran
Click to see story on NewsweekUK facing ‘plot after plot’ from Iran, MI5 boss warns – as growing number of children investigated for terrorism
Click to see story on Sky News UKMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on WKMGMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on Stars and StripesMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots – KION546
Click to see story on KIONMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on KYMAMI5 Spy Chief Says Russia and Iran Are Behind a ‘Staggering’ Rise in Deadly Plots
Click to see story on VINnewsRussia’s GRU seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in Britain and Europe, UK’s MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on The Straits TimesThree-fold increase in children being investigated for UK terror plots
Click to see story on Evening StandardMI5 Spy Chief Says Russia And Iran Are Behind A ‘Staggering’ Rise In Deadly Plots
Click to see story on Yeshiva World NewsUK on terror alert as MI5 chief sends horror warning ISIS and Al-Qaeda are back
Click to see story on Daily ExpressRussian spies ‘on sustained mission to generate mayhem in British streets’, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on The TelegraphMI5 warns 75% of terror threats are Islamist with Isis and Al Qaeda on the rise again
Click to see story on GB NewsRight
Untracked Bias
‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on Shropshire Star‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on StvHead of MI5 says Russia on a mission to bring mayhem to our streets
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Click to see story on Banbury FMMI5 terrorism: UK facing heightened threat of ‘plot after plot’ from Iran and rise in Russia and Isis attacks – UK Times
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Click to see story on brytfmonline“The GRU in particular is on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets,” McCallum said. “We’ve seen arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increased recklessness and having precisely the opposite effect of what the Russian state intends in driving increased operational coordination with partners across Europe and beyond.”
McCallum also noted that more than a third of MI5’s top priority investigations in the past month were linked to organized overseas terrorist groups, with Russia and Iran emerging as primary actors in plots against the U.K.
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He warned that ISIS and Iranian-backed militant groups could launch attacks on U.K. soil.
“Today’s Islamic State is not the force it was a decade ago,” McCallum said. “But, after a few years of being pinned well back, they’ve resumed efforts to export terrorism.”
Since January 2022, Iran has been implicated in 20 “potentially lethal” plots targeting the U.K. McCallum described the significant increase occurring “at an unprecedented pace and scale.”
More than 750 Russian diplomats from Europe — many identified as spies — have been removed. McCallum warned of continued aggression on British soil.
MI5 also reported that 13% of individuals under investigation for terrorism are now under the age of 18. The agency said it is seeing “far too many cases where very young people are being drawn into poisonous online extremism.”
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Since March 2017, MI5 and police have disrupted 43 late-stage terrorist plots, some involving plans for mass casualties using firearms and explosives.
DURING HIS ANNUAL SPEECH, MI5 DIRECTOR GENERAL KEN MCCALLUM SAYS RUSSIA’S INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IS ON A MISSION TO CAUSE MAYHEM ON THE STREETS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
MCCALLUM SAYS THE INCREASE CAME AFTER THE UK BACKED UKRAINE IN ITS WAR AGAINST RUSSIA.
“THE GRU IN PARTICULAR IS ON A SUSTAINED MISSION TO GENERATE MAYHEM ON BRITISH AND EUROPEAN STREETS,” MCCALLUM SAID. “WE’VE SEEN ARSON, SABOTAGE AND MORE DANGEROUS ACTIONS CONDUCTED WITH INCREASED RECKLESSNESS AND HAVING PRECISELY THE OPPOSITE AFFECT OF WHAT THE RUSSIAN STATE INTENDS IN DRIVING INCREASED OPERATIONAL COORDINATION WITH PARTNERS ACROSS EUROPE AND BEYOND.”
MCCALLUM ALSO SAYS MORE THAN A THIRD OF MI5’S TOP PRIORITY INVESTIGATIONS IN THE PAST MONTH WERE LINKED TO ORGANIZED OVERSEAS TERRORIST GROUPS – WITH RUSSIA AND IRAN EMERGING AS PRIMARY ACTORS IN PLOTS AGAINST THE UK.
HE SAYS ISIS AND IRANIAN-BACKED MILITANT GROUPS COULD LAUNCH ATTACKS ON UK SOIL.
“TODAY’S ISLAMIC STATE IS NOT THE FORCE IT WAS A DECADE AGO,” MCCALLUM SAID. “BUT, AFTER A FEW YEARS OF BEING PINNED WELL BACK, THEY’VE RESUMED EFFORTS TO EXPORT TERRORISM.”
SINCE JANUARY 2022 IRAN HAS BEEN IMPLICATED IN 20 ‘POTENTIALLY LETHAL’ PLOTS TARGETING THE UK. MCCALLUM DESCRIBES THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OCCURRING ‘AT AN UNPRECEDENTED PACE AND SCALE’.
MORE THAN 750 RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS FROM EUROPE – MANY IDENTIFIED AS SPIES – HAVE BEEN REMOVED MCCALLUM WARNED OF CONTINUED AGGRESSION ON BRITISH SOIL.
MI5 ALSO SAYS 13% OF INDIVIDUALS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR TERRORISM ARE NOW UNDER THE AGE OF 18. THE AGENCY SAYS IT IS SEEING QUOTE ‘FAR TOO MANY CASES WHERE VERY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING DRAWN INTO POISONOUS ONLINE EXTREMISM’.
SINCE MARCH 2017, MI5 AND POLICE HAVE DISRUPTED 43 LATE-STAGE TERRORIST PLOTS, SOME INVOLVING PLANS FOR MASS CASUALTIES USING FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
UK facing threat of ‘plot after plot’ from Iran, warns MI5 chief
Click to see story on The IndependentMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots – Seymour Tribune
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsMI5 spies foil 43 terror plots since 2017 – saving thousands of lives
Click to see story on Daily MirrorMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on abc NewsISIS and al Qaeda presenting ‘resurgent’ terrorism threat, Britain’s MI5 chief warns
Click to see story on CNNMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on The Washington PostMI5 has foiled 43 terror attacks since the Manchester Arena bomb
Click to see story on Manchester Evening News‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on Wales OnlineMI5 chief says Russia and Iran behind rise in assassination plots in UK
Click to see story on Al JazeeraUK on ‘terror alert’ as MI5 chief sends ISIS and Al-Qaeda warning
Click to see story on Birmingham MailUK spy boss highlights surge in children linked to terror plots
Click to see story on DawnRussia and Iran are behind spike in terror plots, MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on EuronewsMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on The Hamilton SpectatorMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on CTV NewsRussia’s GRU seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in Britain and Europe, UK’s MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on Reuters‘Resurgent’ ISIS and al Qaeda targeting Europe once again, Britain’s MI5 chief warns
Click to see story on KRDORussia seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in UK, Europe, MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on South China Morning PostMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on KVIAMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressMI5 has foiled 43 ‘late stage’ terror plots since the Manchester Arena bombing
Click to see story on Liverpool EchoSpy chief warns of ‘Rise’ in UK assassination plots by Russia, Iran
Click to see story on NewsweekUK facing ‘plot after plot’ from Iran, MI5 boss warns – as growing number of children investigated for terrorism
Click to see story on Sky News UKMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on WKMGMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on Stars and StripesMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots – KION546
Click to see story on KIONMI5 spy chief says Russia and Iran are behind a ‘staggering’ rise in deadly plots
Click to see story on KYMAMI5 Spy Chief Says Russia and Iran Are Behind a ‘Staggering’ Rise in Deadly Plots
Click to see story on VINnewsRussia’s GRU seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in Britain and Europe, UK’s MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on The Straits TimesThree-fold increase in children being investigated for UK terror plots
Click to see story on Evening StandardMI5 Spy Chief Says Russia And Iran Are Behind A ‘Staggering’ Rise In Deadly Plots
Click to see story on Yeshiva World NewsUK on terror alert as MI5 chief sends horror warning ISIS and Al-Qaeda are back
Click to see story on Daily ExpressRussian spies ‘on sustained mission to generate mayhem in British streets’, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on The TelegraphMI5 warns 75% of terror threats are Islamist with Isis and Al Qaeda on the rise again
Click to see story on GB NewsRight
Untracked Bias
‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on Shropshire Star‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on StvHead of MI5 says Russia on a mission to bring mayhem to our streets
Click to see story on Plymouth Herald‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on My LondonMI5 Reports Increasing Threats from Russian Intelligence Operations – The Global Herald
Click to see story on The Global HeraldRussia & Iran on ‘mission to cause mayhem’ in UK as spies foil 43 terror plots
Click to see story on The Irish Sun‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on updayOpposition Congress party wins power in Indian-administered Kashmir
Click to see story on PressNewsAgencyRussia seeking to cause ‘mayhem’ in UK: intelligence chief
Click to see story on Insider PaperRussia wants ‘mayhem’ in UK – MI5 – The Press United | International News Analysis, Viewpoint
Click to see story on ThePress United | International News Analysis, ViewpointMI5 chief: Multiple security threats to UK from Russia, Iran, ISIS – News Bulletin 247
Click to see story on News Bulletin 247MI5 chief tells of terror 43 plots foiled since Manchester Arena attack – About Manchester
Click to see story on About Manchester‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on newschainonline.comMoscow and Tehran are behind spike in terror plots, MI5 spy chief says
Click to see story on Asian News‘Staggering’ rise in children being investigated for terrorism, says MI5 boss
Click to see story on perspectivemedia.comMI5 alive to risk Middle East tensions pose to terror threat in UK boss says – Banbury FM
Click to see story on Banbury FMMI5 terrorism: UK facing heightened threat of ‘plot after plot’ from Iran and rise in Russia and Isis attacks – UK Times
Click to see story on uk-times.comBritish intelligence is sounding the alarm about Russian and Iranian assassination plans
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