LONDON: Britain is facing a growing threat from far-right terrorism, online radicalisation and hostile foreign powers, MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum has warned, highlighting the changing nature of national security risks.
Speaking at the intelligence agency’s headquarters in London on Tuesday, McCallum said cases involving extreme anti-immigration and anti-Muslim views were increasingly developing into terrorist intentions, reported by The Nation. He noted that far-right extremism often involved young people and was strongly influenced by online activity.
He revealed that MI5 had recently investigated a radicalised 13 year old whose case provided information that helped an international partner prevent a deadly attack abroad. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS) continue to direct and inspire terrorist attacks.
McCallum also described Russia as Britain’s leading state aggressor, warning that threats from foreign powers had quadrupled. He said MI5 now devoted more resources to tackling state threats than during the Cold War, with counterterrorism and state-security operations reaching similar levels.
According to McCallum, Moscow is using so called hybrid warfare to destabilise Britain and other European countries while avoiding direct confrontation with NATO. The expulsion of nearly 1,000 Russian officials and suspected spies since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has weakened Moscow’s covert network, he said. Russia is increasingly turning to criminals to carry out hostile activities.
Iran was another major concern. McCallum said MI5 had made more than 50 arrests linked to Iranian activities over the past year, as Tehran expanded its campaign of covert pressure in Britain.
Artificial intelligence is also creating new security challenges. McCallum said terrorists had attempted to use AI to improve reconnaissance and attack methods, while AI-enabled drones were adding to the risks.
His greatest concern was the possibility of violent extremist groups using AI to develop biological weapons. Although this threat has not yet materialised, he warned that the technology could make existing or new biological threats far more dangerous.
The warning underlines the growing complexity of Britain’s security challenges, from online radicalisation to foreign interference and emerging technologies.
