UK terrorism threat level raised to severe after Golders Green attack

Earlier this year in March - near to the scene of Wednesday's stabbings - four Jewish charity-owned Hatzola ambulances were set on fire in the car park of a synagogue in Golders Green.

In recent weeks the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London was attacked and days later a bottle containing a type of accelerant was thrown through the window of Kenton United Synagogue.

The decision to raise the threat level to the second-highest threat level was taken by security and intelligence experts from the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) and independently of ministers, the government said.

The UK was last placed on a "severe" terrorism threat level in November 2021, after a bomb ignited outside Liverpool Women's Hospital and the murder of MP Sir David Amess the previous month.

It was lowered to "substantial" in February 2022.

There are five terror threat levels in the UK:

• Critical: an attack is highly likely in the near future
• Severe: an attack is highly likely
• Substantial: an attack is likely
• Moderate: an attack is possible, but not likely
• Low: an attack is highly unlikely

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said people should be "alert and vigilant" but not "alarmed".

He said the public should be reassured that the intelligence services, the police and government were "working round the clock to keep the public safe".

Meanwhile, London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said there will be extra police on the capital's streets - including armed officers.

"I want to reassure all Londoners and visitors that we are doing everything possible to protect our city and keep all of our communities safe," he sadi.

The raised level also comes against a backdrop of "increased state-linked physical threats which is encouraging acts of violence, including against the Jewish community", the government added.

Some of the prior incidents have been linked to groups with ties to foreign regimes. Police have not made any such links with Wednesday's attack.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley referred to a rise in "racist and antisemitic hate crime" while speaking in Golders Green on Wednesday.

He said police were aware that some people were being encouraged or paid to commit acts of violence by foreign organisations and hostile states - though he said he could not comment on any live investigations.

Elsewhere on Thursday, angry protesters jeered and heckled Sir Keir Starmer when he visited Golders Green to meet Jewish volunteer organisations and first responders on Thursday.

The prime minister said he understood the "high levels of anxiety and concern", adding: "That anxiety has been there for a very long time, and the appalling terrorist attack yesterday made it worse."

The government announced the extra £25m in funding for increased police patrols and security in Jewish communities. Funding will also be used to put further protections in place around synagogues, schools and community centres.

Sir Keir said the government was now considering introducing fresh measures, including stronger powers to "shut down charities that promote antisemitism" and "prevent hate preachers from entering our country", as well as speeding up sentencing on antisemitic attacks "so there is stronger de facto deterrence".

"We need stronger powers to tackle the malign threat posted by states like Iran," he said, vowing to fast-track legislation.

But he also called on "everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering and Jewish fear", saying "far too many people in this country diminish" antisemitism.