- October 9, 2024
- 4:15 pm
- World News
Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU, is trying to create “chaos on the streets of Britain and Europe.” Iran is also involved in “conspiracies” in the UK.
The head of British counterintelligence MI5 said this on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Ken McCallum. IN Reuters noted that most of his speech was devoted to threats from Moscow and Tehran.
McCallum said the number of investigations into threats posed by hostile states, including cyber attacks and attempted assassinations, had increased by 48% over the past year. Russia and Iran turn to international criminals to do their dirty work.
Since the start of 2017, MI5 and British police have uncovered 43 late-stage plots, including plans to commit mass murder. MI5 officers and law enforcement officers were responding to 20 Iranian-backed plots that posed a deadly threat to the UK.
McCallum warned that Britain's leading role in supporting Ukraine was attracting the attention of Russian government officials, who were turning to “proxies” to carry out their work. He noted that the GRU is trying to wreak havoc on the streets of Great Britain and Europe.
McCallum warned anyone planning to take money from Moscow or Tehran to carry out illegal activities that “it will be a choice you will regret.”
“Britain's leading role in support for Ukraine means that we occupy a prominent place in the fevered imagination of Vladimir Putin's regime, and we should expect continued acts of aggression here in our country“, he said.
The MI5 chief also expressed concern about the growing threat from al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. He stressed that conflicts in the Middle East could lead to terrorist attacks in the UK.
In addition, McCallum mentioned an example of retaliation for Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, when a Moroccan committed a murder in the north of England.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted that the rapprochement between Russia and Iran would “incredibly destabilize the world.” Time emphasized that dictator Putin continues to threaten the world with nuclear weapons, but such blackmail is becoming less and less effective.
This highlights the active efforts of Russian and Iranian intelligence to create instability and chaos in Europe, which poses potential threats to Israel as well.
Threats to Israel can be expressed through several aspects:
- Cyber attacks and sabotage: The activities of Russian intelligence services, such as the GRU, may include cyberattacks or subversive activities that may be directed not only at European countries, but also at Israel's allies, affecting its security through international communications and infrastructure. Israel, being a high-tech country, can also become a target of such cyber attacks, especially in connection with conflicts in the Middle East.
- Cooperation between Russia and Iran: Iran has traditionally been seen as one of the main threats to Israel, especially through its support for groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The rapprochement between Russia and Iran, as mentioned in the text, could lead to increased military support and coordination between these countries. This could include sharing intelligence, weapons and strategic techniques, which increases Iranian influence and threat to Israel.
- Potential attacks by terrorist groups: As noted in the text, Russian and Iranian support could indirectly facilitate the activities of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which could turn their forces against Israel's allies or Israel itself.
Thus, the rapprochement between Russia and Iran, their joint actions to destabilize the West, as well as support for terrorist acts pose a significant threat to Israel's security.
