Politics · United Kingdom · 2 hrs ago
MI5 chief warns of rising risk of rightwing terrorist attacks in UK
MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that rightwing extremism is increasingly linked to plans for terrorist attacks in the UK.
He said people driven by anti-immigration and anti-Muslim views were considering attacks on immigration centres, asylum hotels, migrants and Muslims.
The shift from extremist views to violent intent was the clearest trend in MI5’s work over the past year, and it contributed to a rise in the overall UK terror threat level.
McCallum said young people were particularly likely to be drawn into extreme rightwing terrorism, and MI5 investigated a radicalised 13-year-old this year.
The warning comes amid a wider rise in threats, including Iranian activity in the UK and Russian assassination plots, explosive threats and cyber-attacks.
McCallum said threats from other states had quadrupled over the past decade, and MI5 has created a centre to assess risks from artificial intelligence and potential bioweapons.
MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that extremists with anti-immigration views are increasingly likely to consider terrorist attacks in the UK.
He said the shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence was the most marked trend in MI5’s caseload over the past year.
Potential targets include immigration centres, asylum hotels, migrants and Muslims.
McCallum said young people were particularly likely to gravitate towards extreme rightwing terrorism.
He also warned of threats from Iran and Russia and announced a new AI threat assessment centre.
- Who
- MI5 chief Ken McCallum issued the warning.
- What
- He said extremists with anti-immigration views were increasingly likely to consider terrorist attacks in the UK.
- When
- Tuesday morning; the article was published on 13 October 2026.
- Where
- At MI5’s London headquarters near Westminster.
- Why
- McCallum said the shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence was the most marked trend in MI5’s caseload over the past year.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A 16-year-old from Inverclyde received a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to planning mass murder by firebombing a Muslim centre in Greenock.
MI5 saw a shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence as the most marked trend in its caseload.
MI5 was investigating a radicalised 13-year-old in the UK.
McCallum gave an annual threat update at MI5’s London headquarters near Westminster.
- MI5 chief
- Ken McCallum
- Threat trend
- A shift from radicalised rightwing sentiment to violence was the most marked trend in MI5’s caseload over the past year.
- Potential targets
- Immigration centres, asylum hotels, migrants and Muslims
- Young person investigated
- A radicalised 13-year-old in the UK
- New centre
- AI threat assessment centre
What people are saying
the most marked trend
extremist versions of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim grievance are tipping into terrorist intent
investigating a radicalised … 13-year-old in the UK
We have again entered a new era of national security
Sources
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