Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Britain has said it would introduce new legislation to tackle state-sponsored threats, after two Jewish men were stabbed in the latest apparent antisemitic attack amid warnings that states like Iran were using criminal proxies, reported Reuters.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for stronger powers to tackle the ‘malign’ threat posed by states like Iran, while addressing the nation about the Golders Green attack on Jews.
He said on April 30 that they know for a fact that these states want to harm British Jews, which is why he will fast-track the necessary legislation. He met with the community in Golders Green and expressed his sadness and solidarity with them.
Ministers on April 30 said the Government would fast-track legislation allowing the prosecution of people acting as proxies of a state-sponsored group, so they can be dealt with in the same way as spies for foreign intelligence services.
British police and security officials have warned that Iran has increasingly sought to use criminal proxies to carry out hostile activity, and that Russia and China have done the same. A pro-Iranian government group has claimed responsibility for some recent attacks. Last month, two men were charged under Britain’s existing National Security Act with being tasked by Iran to carry out hostile surveillance, and last year three men were convicted of an arson attack on Ukraine-linked businesses.
Russian spies
Officials say Moscow turned to criminals or those with existing grievances following the expulsion of Russian spies over the 2018 poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal. Such accusations have been rejected by Moscow, Beijing and Tehran, which say they are politically motivated. The announcement of new powers, and additional funding for security, follows criticism of Britain from Jewish community leaders and the Israeli Government after a spate of recent attacks, mostly arson, on Jewish targets in London.
