Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The UK’s threat level was lifted from “substantial” to “severe” on April 30 for the first time in more than four years, following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, north London, on April 29.
“The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has raised the UK National Threat Level from ‘substantial’, meaning a terrorist attack is likely, to ‘severe’, meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely.
“This change follows the stabbings in Golders Green on April 29, although it is not solely a result of that attack. The UK has been experiencing a gradual increase in terrorist threats for some time. This has been driven by a rise in both Islamist and Extreme Right-Wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups in the UK”, a Government statement said. Security minister Dan Jarvis said the public should be “alert and vigilant” but not “alarmed” following an increase to the terrorism threat level in the UK.
He said the increase to the threat level was “not solely as a result of that attack”, but had also been “driven by an increase in broader Islamist and extreme right-wing” threats. The “severe” threat level means that a terrorist attack is considered highly likely in the next six months. Jarvis said the public should be reassured that the intelligence services, the police and Government were “working round the clock to keep the public safe”.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the raising of the threat level “will be a source of concern to many, particularly amongst our Jewish community, who have suffered so much”. But she insisted the Government “will do everything in our power to rid society of the evil of antisemitism”, noting an earlier announcement increasing funding for policing and security around Jewish sites. Meanwhile, the United States embassy in London has issued a security alert telling its citizens in the UK to be cautious after the British Government raised the national threat level to “severe”. The embassy advised citizens to remain “alert in public places” and to stay away from schools, churches, tourist locations and transportation hubs
