National terror threat level raised to ‘severe’ after Golders Green attack
The Prime Minister has called on the public to 'open their eyes' to Jewish pain
The UK terrorism threat level has been raised to “severe” in the wake of the Golders Green stabbings yesterday (April 29), meaning a terror attack is “highly likely”, the Press Association reports.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre announced the decision today (April 30) after two Jewish men were stabbed in north London, and in the wake of a spate of attacks in Jewish neighbourhoods in recent weeks.
The body, which is based in MI5 but makes independent assessments, previously set the threat level at “substantial”, meaning an attack was “likely”.
It comes as police confirmed the suspect in Wednesday’s attack had previously been reported to Prevent, the Government’s anti-extremism programme, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was heckled when he visited the scene on Thursday.
In an address to the nation, the PM called on “everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering and Jewish fear."
He also said those attending pro-Palestine marches standing “alongside people who say ‘globalise the intifada’, you are calling for terrorism against Jews”.
The suspect in Wednesday's attack, a 45-year-old British national, was born in Somalia and came to the UK legally as a child in the 1990s, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the suspect was referred to Prevent in 2020 but the case was closed the same year.