Extremists holding anti-immigration opinions are becoming increasingly likely to consider carrying out terrorist attacks against immigration centres and asylum hotels in the UK, according to Ken McCallum, the head of MI5. He stated that a shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence is the "most marked trend" in the spy agency's caseload over the past year, contributing to a rise in the overall UK terror threat level.
Annual Threat Update
In an annual threat update delivered at MI5’s London headquarters near Westminster on Tuesday morning, McCallum highlighted an increase in cases where "extremist versions of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim grievance are tipping into terrorist intent." This includes planning attacks on migrants and Muslims.
Rising Extremism
Several aggressive anti-migrant protests have been held this autumn by the far-right Patriot Platform in locations such as Portsmouth and Dover. Racially and religiously motivated offences are currently at record levels. McCallum noted that young people are particularly susceptible to extreme rightwing terrorism, mentioning that at one point this year, the security service was "investigating a radicalised … 13-year-old in the UK."
