UK spy agency has warned that Russia is looking to cause "sustained mayhem on British and European streets". The head of MI5 said Russian intelligence agency GRU had carried out "arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness" in UK following the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent support offered by London. MI5 chief Ken McCallum was giving an annual update on security threats faced by UK.

McCallum added the MI5 had also tackled at least 20 plots of sabotage backed by Iran since 2022. He stressed that MI5 had "one hell of a job on its hands" given a mix of threats from state-backed actors and Islamist extremism.

“The first 20 years of my career here were crammed full of terrorist threats,” the MI5 chief said.

"We now face those alongside state-backed assassination and sabotage plots, against the backdrop of a major European land war," he said.

<h2>'Aggression from Russia expected'</h2>

He also said that further acts of aggression from hostile nations, especially the regime of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, were very well expected given the UK’s "leading role" in supporting Ukraine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj3-5PKtoCJAxUfoq8BHZDxLTQQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-mauritius-chagos-archipelago-agreement-india-played-quiet-but-crucial-role-in-deal-says-report-764357" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-mauritius-chagos-archipelago-agreement-india-played-quiet-but-crucial-role-in-deal-says-report-764357&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj3-5PKtoCJAxUfoq8BHZDxLTQQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE">UK-Mauritius Chagos archipelago agreement: India played quiet but crucial role in deal, says report</a>

McCallum said European nations have booted out more than 700 Russian diplomats, majority of whom ‘were spies.’

It is for the first time that the MI5 chief has accused Moscow in such stark terms.

<h2>Threats from Iran</h2>

Speaking of threats from Iran, McCallum claimed Iran ramped up “plots here in UK, at an unprecedented pace and scale” after the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old who died in Iranian police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating rules requiring women to wear the headscarf.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj3-5PKtoCJAxUfoq8BHZDxLTQQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-broadcaster-backs-out-of-boris-johnsons-interview-over-recording-ban-764772" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/british-broadcaster-backs-out-of-boris-johnsons-interview-over-recording-ban-764772&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj3-5PKtoCJAxUfoq8BHZDxLTQQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE">British broadcaster backs out of interview with former PM Boris Johnson over recording ban</a>

He vowed that MI5 would give its "fullest attention to the risk of an increase in – or a broadening of – Iranian state aggression in the UK".

McCallum also touched upon threats from China, saying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had a programme to steal data and information, and "we have seen 20,000 obfuscated approaches to individuals by China".

(With inputs from agencies)

UK spy agency has warned that Russia is looking to cause "sustained mayhem on British and European streets". The head of MI5 said Russian intelligence agency GRU had carried out "arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness" in UK following the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent support offered by London.

UK spy agency has warned that Russia is looking to cause "sustained mayhem on British and European streets". The head of MI5 said Russian intelligence agency GRU had carried out "arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness" in UK following the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent support offered by London. MI5 chief Ken McCallum was giving an annual update on security threats faced by UK. McCallum added the MI5 had also tackled at least 20 plots of sabotage backed by Iran since 2022. He stressed that MI5 had "one hell of a job on its hands" given a mix of threats from state-backed actors and Islamist extremism. “The first 20 years of my career here were crammed full of terrorist threats,” the MI5 chief said. "We now face those alongside state-backed assassination and sabotage plots, against the backdrop of a major European land war," he said. 'Aggression from Russia expected' He also said that further acts of aggression from hostile nations, especially the regime of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, were very well expected given the UK’s "leading role" in supporting Ukraine. Also read: UK-Mauritius Chagos archipelago agreement: India played quiet but crucial role in deal, says report McCallum said European nations have booted out more than 700 Russian diplomats, majority of whom ‘were spies.’ It is for the first time that the MI5 chief has accused Moscow in such stark terms. Threats from Iran Speaking of threats from Iran, McCallum claimed Iran ramped up “plots here in UK, at an unprecedented pace and scale” after the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old who died in Iranian police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating rules requiring women to wear the headscarf. Also read: British broadcaster backs out of interview with former PM Boris Johnson over recording ban He vowed that MI5 would give its "fullest attention to the risk of an increase in – or a broadening of – Iranian state aggression in the UK". McCallum also touched upon threats from China, saying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had a programme to steal data and information, and "we have seen 20,000 obfuscated approaches to individuals by China". (With inputs from agencies)

MI5 chief accuses Russia of carrying out ‘mayhem’ on UK, European streets

Chinese businessman linked to a “secret police station” in London has organised Tory fundraising dinners and been photographed with party leaders, as per reports.

UK spy chief warns against China's attempts to influence UK politics

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has "heartened and emboldened" extremists, according to the chief of Britain's domestic intelligence service, and might lead to the resumption of significant "al-Qaida-style" terrorist plots against the West.

The withdrawal of NATO forces and the fall of the internationally supported Afghan government might put the UK at "greater risk," according to MI5 Director General Ken McCallum.

In a rare interview with the BBC, McCallum said: "Terrorist threats don't change overnight in terms of directed plotting, training camps, or infrastructure-the kinds of things that al Qaida had in Afghanistan at the time of 9/11."&nbsp;

"But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organised bits of terrorism take a bit longer to rebuild... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. So we need to be vigilant about the increase in inspired terrorism, which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al-Qaida-style directed plots, " he added.

In the last two decades, Islamist-inspired extremists have carried out a number of violent acts in the United Kingdom.

On July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers killed 52 people on London subway trains and a bus, making it the bloodiest attack in the city's history.

Individuals inspired by extremists such as the Islamic State group, but not commanded by them, have carried out many recent knife and vehicle attacks.

According to McCallum, UK authorities have foiled 31 attack attempts by both Islamic and far-right extremists in the last four years.

He claimed that 20 years after the September 11 attacks in the United States, it was difficult to assess whether Britain was safer or less safe.&nbsp;

"The number of plots that we disrupt nowadays are actually higher than the number of plots that were coming at us after 9/11, but on average they are smaller plots of lower sophistication," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has "heartened and emboldened" extremists, according to the chief of Britain's domestic intelligence service, and might lead to the resumption of significant "al-Qaida-style" terrorist plots against the West.

The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has "heartened and emboldened" extremists, according to the chief of Britain's domestic intelligence service, and might lead to the resumption of significant "al-Qaida-style" terrorist plots against the West. The withdrawal of NATO forces and the fall of the internationally supported Afghan government might put the UK at "greater risk," according to MI5 Director General Ken McCallum. In a rare interview with the BBC, McCallum said: "Terrorist threats don't change overnight in terms of directed plotting, training camps, or infrastructure-the kinds of things that al Qaida had in Afghanistan at the time of 9/11." "But what does happen overnight, even though those directed plots and centrally organised bits of terrorism take a bit longer to rebuild... Overnight, you can have a psychological boost, a morale boost to extremists already here, or in other countries. So we need to be vigilant about the increase in inspired terrorism, which has become a real trend for us to deal with over the last five to 10 years, alongside the potential regrowth of al-Qaida-style directed plots, " he added. In the last two decades, Islamist-inspired extremists have carried out a number of violent acts in the United Kingdom. On July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers killed 52 people on London subway trains and a bus, making it the bloodiest attack in the city's history. Individuals inspired by extremists such as the Islamic State group, but not commanded by them, have carried out many recent knife and vehicle attacks. According to McCallum, UK authorities have foiled 31 attack attempts by both Islamic and far-right extremists in the last four years. He claimed that 20 years after the September 11 attacks in the United States, it was difficult to assess whether Britain was safer or less safe. "The number of plots that we disrupt nowadays are actually higher than the number of plots that were coming at us after 9/11, but on average they are smaller plots of lower sophistication," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban takeover could fuel terror plots against West: UK spy chief

The chief of Britain's foreign intelligence service warned the Kremlin on Monday not to underestimate the West after a brazen <a href="http://www.wionews.com/europe/british-police-releases-more-video-of-skripal-poisoning-suspects-178878">nerve agent attack on a retired double agent </a>in England stoked fears about Russian covert activity abroad.

In his second major speech since being named in 2014 to head the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, Alex Younger said Russia has a stance of "perpetual confrontation" with the West.

After the attack on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-not-guilty-of-poisoning-ready-to-cooperate-foreign-minister-35668">Sergei Skripal</a>, a former Russian military intelligence officer who betrayed dozens of agents to MI6, Britain's allies in Europe and the United States took its side and ordered the biggest expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War.

Britain identified the nerve agent deployed in the English town of Salisbury as Novichok, a highly potent group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s.

"The Russian state used a military-grade chemical weapon on UK soil," Younger told students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland where he once studied economics and computer science before joining the British army.

"Our intention is for the Russian state to conclude that, whatever the benefits it thinks it is accruing from this activity, they are not worth the risk," he said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russian-denials-of-british-attack-increasingly-absurd-johnson-36366">Moscow has repeatedly denied involvemen</a>t and accused British intelligence agencies of staging the attack to stoke anti-Russian hysteria.

"I should emphasise that even as the Russian state seeks to destabilise us, we do not seek to destabilise Russia. We do not seek escalation," Younger said.

Younger, 55, said that Britain's spies have thwarted multiple Islamic State plots originating overseas.

Less than four months before the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29, Younger said MI6 continues to work with partner agencies to strengthen "indispensable security ties" in Europe.

He said the United Kingdom had helped France and Germany prevent terrorist attacks.

MI6, the home of fictional spies such as John le Carré’s George Smiley and Ian Fleming’s James Bond, has the job of defending Britain, and its interests, abroad.

A career spy who joined MI6 as the Soviet Union was crumbling, Younger stressed the need for espionage to embrace the new.

"The era of the fourth industrial revolution calls for a fourth-generation espionage: fusing our traditional human skills with accelerated innovation, new partnerships and a mindset that mobilises diversity and empowers the young," he said.

In a recruitment pitch, Younger gave some details of his own life, including drinking obscure homemade alcohol in an attempt to penetrate an organisation intent on genocide in the Western Balkans in 1990s.

"If you want to make a difference and you think you might have what it takes, then the chances are that you do have what it takes, and we hope you will step forward."

The chief of Britain's foreign intelligence service warned the Kremlin on Monday not to underestimate the West after a brazen nerve agent attack on a retired double agent in England stoked fears about Russian covert activity abroad.

The chief of Britain's foreign intelligence service warned the Kremlin on Monday not to underestimate the West after a brazen nerve agent attack on a retired double agent in England stoked fears about Russian covert activity abroad. In his second major speech since being named in 2014 to head the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, Alex Younger said Russia has a stance of "perpetual confrontation" with the West. After the attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer who betrayed dozens of agents to MI6, Britain's allies in Europe and the United States took its side and ordered the biggest expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War. Britain identified the nerve agent deployed in the English town of Salisbury as Novichok, a highly potent group of nerve agents developed by the Soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s. "The Russian state used a military-grade chemical weapon on UK soil," Younger told students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland where he once studied economics and computer science before joining the British army. "Our intention is for the Russian state to conclude that, whatever the benefits it thinks it is accruing from this activity, they are not worth the risk," he said. Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement and accused British intelligence agencies of staging the attack to stoke anti-Russian hysteria. "I should emphasise that even as the Russian state seeks to destabilise us, we do not seek to destabilise Russia. We do not seek escalation," Younger said. Younger, 55, said that Britain's spies have thwarted multiple Islamic State plots originating overseas. Less than four months before the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29, Younger said MI6 continues to work with partner agencies to strengthen "indispensable security ties" in Europe. He said the United Kingdom had helped France and Germany prevent terrorist attacks. MI6, the home of fictional spies such as John le Carré’s George Smiley and Ian Fleming’s James Bond, has the job of defending Britain, and its interests, abroad. A career spy who joined MI6 as the Soviet Union was crumbling, Younger stressed the need for espionage to embrace the new. "The era of the fourth industrial revolution calls for a fourth-generation espionage: fusing our traditional human skills with accelerated innovation, new partnerships and a mindset that mobilises diversity and empowers the young," he said. In a recruitment pitch, Younger gave some details of his own life, including drinking obscure homemade alcohol in an attempt to penetrate an organisation intent on genocide in the Western Balkans in 1990s. "If you want to make a difference and you think you might have what it takes, then the chances are that you do have what it takes, and we hope you will step forward."

Don't underestimate Britain's capabilities: UK spy chief warns Russia

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MI5 chief accuses Russia of carrying out ‘mayhem’ on UK, European streets

UK spy chief warns against China's attempts to influence UK politics

Taliban takeover could fuel terror plots against West: UK spy chief

Don't underestimate Britain's capabilities: UK spy chief warns Russia