UK threat level raised to SEVERE as terror attack 'highly likely' in next six months

Today, the Home Secretary has confirmed

that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre

has raised the terrorism threat level in

the UK from substantial to severe.

This means it is now highly likely that

a terrorist attack could happen in the

UK.

As we've seen, the UK has been

experiencing a gradual increase in

terrorist threats for some time. Driven

by a rise in both Islamist and extreme

right-wing terrorism.

Our casework is increasing across a

number of ideologies, and within that,

we are seeing an elevated threat to

Jewish and Israeli individuals and

institutions in the UK.

We're also working against an

unpredictable global situation

that has consequences closer to home,

including physical threats by

state-linked actors.

Following yesterday's horrific terrorist

attack and incidents targeting the

Jewish community across the country,

there is already an enhanced police

response in place. And all police forces

will be reviewing this in light of the

change in the threat level.

In some areas, you will already be used

to seeing more officers than usual.

In other places, you may start to see

that, too.

They will be deploying unpredictably,

which means sometimes you will see them,

and sometimes you won't.

But please know we are with you.

Police forces up and down the country

routinely work with community and faith

groups, and this will continue as we

seek their support and assistance in

keeping the UK safe.

And we continue to work with businesses

who are advising we are advising to

review their protective security plans

to ensure they have everything they need

in place.

And I want you to know

we have the full range of

counterterrorism tactical options at our

disposal,

and these will be deployed nationally

and without hesitation wherever we see

fit.

And alongside our partners, we are

reviewing our casework, live

investigations,

and subjects of interest.

Now, many of you will be wanting to know

what you are being asked to do following

the change in threat level.

And I understand that this announcement

may cause you concern.

But I ask that you be alert, but not

alarmed.

Police officers and staff, together with

our security service partners, will

continue to work both day and night to

protect you against the threat of

terrorism.

Every year, we receive thousands of

calls and online reports from people

concerned about possible terrorist

activity.

Those reports provide us with the

intelligence that can be turned into

action.

Our efforts succeed because we have your

support.

Communities have shown time and time

again that they are united in their

rejection of those who wish to divide us

and spread hate in the name of

extremism.

So, please trust your instincts,

report anything that doesn't feel right

at gov.uk/act.

Every report is looked at, and you won't

be wasting our time.

Thank you.

As part of our review into the change in

the threat level, policing will be

reviewing all events across the country.

Uh my teams will be working with forces

to ensure that we have appropriate

protective security measures in place,

that the appropriate mitigations are put

in place, and we will be engaged with

communities who will be affected by

large events, as well as those involved

in the events, so that we can keep them

safe as they can be.

Sorry, say.

So, we've obviously got a live

investigation ongoing against that

subject at the moment. You'll understand

I'm not going to talk about issues

relating to that investigation at this

stage.

So, firstly, I would like to say to the

Jewish community, I completely

understand just how frightened and how

worried you are by the events of the

past few months, and that is wholly

unacceptable. We have seen a rise in

anti-Semitism in the UK, and that is why

policing is mobilized. It's why security

partners and the government are putting

the extra measures in place to try and

combat that. But of course, we

understand the impact it has on Jewish

communities, and I'm doing everything

with my teams in our power to ensure

that they are safe.

So, the threat level means that an

attack is highly likely, and that has

come about for a number of reasons

linked to the complexity of the threats

that we are facing, the geopolitical

situation that exists at the moment, and

that increasing rise in caseload that I

and others have been talking about for

many months.

We will do everything we can to keep the

community safe. But the threat level has

gone up, and I would ask people to be

vigilant and report to us so that we can

act on any information available.

Thank you. Thank you very much.