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In a recent briefing, counter-terror police have raised concerns about the increasing threat posed by hostile states operating within British borders. Families are being urged to remain vigilant for potential signs of manipulation targeting vulnerable individuals such as teenagers, petty criminals, and disillusioned people. Russia, Iran, and China are identified as key players in recruiting and directing proxies to carry out acts of sabotage and targeted violence in the UK, now accounting for approximately 20% of the police’s workload.
Following the Salisbury poisonings in 2018, which targeted Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, there has been a significant surge in police efforts to address hostile activities. Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command, highlighted the unprecedented growth in the breadth, complexity, and volume of such operations. He emphasized the evolving nature of threats to life posed by these states in the UK, with the youngest person arrested in connection with these activities being in their mid-teens.
Counter Terrorism Policing’s senior national co-ordinator, Vicki Evans, expressed concerns about online recruitment of children for nefarious activities, stressing the importance of being observant and asking questions when suspicious. The Metropolitan Police is intensifying its focus on hostile state activities, providing additional resources, training officers on foreign interference, and conducting exercises to enhance preparedness. Recent convictions linked to an arson attack ordered by Russia’s Wagner group underscore the real-world impact of these operations, including plots to kidnap Russian dissidents.
Counter-terrorism authorities have noted a significant volume of threats from Iran, particularly targeting opponents of the Islamic Republic, with criminal proxies being utilized for carrying out violent acts with a level of deniability. Ms. Evans attributed this escalating threat to the erosion of the rule-based international order, cautioning that foreign regimes are increasingly willing to engage in aggressive actions on foreign soil. This briefing represents the first detailed insight provided to journalists regarding the grave implications of hostile state activities within the UK
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