In brief
In a speech at MI5’s headquarters, Sir Ken McCallum said the nation’s security threats from Russia and Iran have quadrupled, while artificial‑intelligence is now super‑charging both state‑led hybrid warfare and extremist recruitment. He highlighted Iran’s attacks on Jewish communities and military sites, accused Russia of using proxies after a wave of expulsion of its spies, and warned that AI could soon enable bioweapon designs. The chair also announced the creation of an AI Threat Assessment Centre and noted that the rise in extremism now rivals that of traditional terrorism.
Sir Ken McCallum, head of the security service, told reporters at London’s MI5 headquarters that the nation’s security threats from Russia and Iran have quadrupled over the last decade, and that artificial‑intelligence is now super‑charging both state‑led hybrid warfare and extremist recruitment.
McCallum said Russia remains “aggressor number one”, waging a campaign of cyber‑attacks, sabotage, and misinformation aimed at unsettling Europe, while its real‑world incursion in Ukraine has stalled and become “minimal and horrifically costly.” He described the Kremlin as now forced to pay proxies for attacks once run by its own agents after a “nearly 1,000 expulsions.”
The MI5 chief warned that Iran is expanding a hybrid campaign that has targeted Jewish communities and military sites. He cited 50 arrests in the last 12 months linked to Iranian activity and highlighted a recent incident at RAF Fairford where three suspicious vans were parked, leading to seven arrests.
AI was identified as a dual‑use threat. McCallum said it can create propaganda tailored to individuals and that terrorists are already exploiting it to improve reconnaissance and to control drones. He warned that the use of AI to design or deploy bioweapons is “not yet realised” but could “change the stakes.” The MI5 chief confirmed the launch of an AI Threat Assessment Centre, working alongside the AI Security Institute to assess new risks.
Extremist right‑wing terrorism was also singled out. McCallum said global terrorism remains a high priority “of equal scale” to state threats, and that a renewed surge in anti‑immigration, anti‑Muslim rhetoric is tipping into violent intent. He recounted recent investigations into radicalised youths, including a 13‑year‑old, that helped prevent a potentially lethal attack abroad.
During the Q&A, McCallum addressed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s remarks about Russia’s alleged interference in Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum. He said attempts by Russian media and “bot farms” to influence the debate were known, but the referendum’s outcome was “not in dispute.” He expressed concern that the public conversation could give undue visibility to such interference.
McCallum’s address came at a time when the UK’s terrorism threat level was raised to severe for the first time in five years, signalling “a high likelihood” of an attack. He concluded that the National Security Act – a 2023 law targeting foreign‑state collaborations – had been heavily employed to counter threats from China, Iran and Russia.
