The UK terrorism threat level is set to go up in the wake of the double stabbings in Golders Green, the Mail has learnt.
Officials are expected to announce later today that the threat to the UK from all forms of terrorism will move from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’, meaning an attack is now highly likely.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) is expected to announce that it has taken the decision to raise the level after a series of attacks on the Jewish community in recent weeks, culminating in the double stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green yesterday.
The threat level was last assessed as severe in November 2021 following the Liverpool Women's Hospital bombing when a failed asylum seeker detonated an improvised explosive device killing himself and injuring a taxi driver.
In February 2022 independent JTAC experts decided to lower the terror threat to ‘substantial’, meaning an attack is likely.
The threat level has not changed for the last four years, despite a series of terrorist incidents.
The government outlines five different terror attack threat levels. The move to 'severe' is the second highest and means 'an attack is highly likely'.
The only level above is known as 'critical', which means 'an attack is highly likely in the near future'.
Police had to taser the knifeman in Golders Green after two Jewish people were stabbed in the terror attack. Both are now in a stable condition
The JTAC work with MI5 in setting the threat levels which are regularly reviewed. They are set based on available intelligence on terrorist capability, terrorist intentions and the timescale of the likelihood of the next attack.