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UK raises terror threat level to ‘severe’
15 Nov, 2021 14:36
The UK government has raised the country’s terror threat level designation following Sunday’s Liverpool car bomb plot – meaning that another attack is viewed as “highly likely.”
The announcement comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) meeting to brainstorm the government’s response to the attack, which police have declared a terror incident.
“We strongly believe that the deceased is 32-year-old Emad Al Swealmeen,” senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Meeks told journalists. He added that the suspect was linked to two addresses raided by the police. Meeks said that the officers continued to “recover significant items” from one of the addresses.
The decision, which was confirmed by Home Secretary Priti Patel, was taken the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) – a group of counter-terrorist experts from law enforcement bodies and security agencies which is based at MI5’s London headquarters.
Patel said the escalation in alertness rating was due to the bomb plot being the “second incident in a month.” She was likely referring to the knife-killing of Tory MP David Amess last month, which was previously designated a terror attack by police.
“There is a live investigation taking place right now; they will need the time, the space, to do the work that they are doing in terms of investigating the incident,” Patel said, adding that the government is “making sure that we are taking all the necessary steps required.”
The UK previously raised its threat level to ‘severe’ in November 2020 after a series of attacks in Europe. It was downgraded to ‘substantial’ in February following a ‘significant reduction’ in incidents. The ‘severe’ level is the second-highest alertness rating, with only ‘critical’ ranked above it.
The police have made four arrests related to Sunday’s blast, during which a taxi passenger detonated an improvised explosive device outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital. The bomber was the only fatality.
Israeli defense minister’s cleaner accused of spying for Iran
18 Nov, 2021 14:44
A cleaner for Israel’s defense minister has been accused of espionage after allegedly offering to place malware on his boss’ household computer for an Iran-linked hacking group.
In a statement on Thursday, the Shin Bet security service said that Omri Goren, a housekeeper for Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and a former bank robber according to Israeli media, corresponded with an unnamed person over social media shortly before his arrest.
Goren reached out earlier this month to “a figure affiliated with Iran and offered to help him in different ways, in light of his access to the minister’s home,” the statement read, according to the Times of Israel.
It is understood that Goren offered to spy and place malware on Gantz’s computer on behalf of a hacking group, reportedly called ‘Black Shadow’ and associated with Iran, Tel Aviv’s perennial enemy. It is also said that he provided photos of Gantz’s residence to prove he had access.
A Central District prosecutor filed espionage charges against Goren on Thursday. If convicted, the accused could face a sentence of between 10 and 15 years, according to the Times of Israel.
The 37-year-old Lod resident has previously served four prison sentences, the most recent of which was for four years. Goren was found guilty of five crimes between 2002 to 2013, two of the convictions were for bank robbery.
So, how did he get a job in the house of the Minister of Defence?
The Shin Bet said they would review their processes for staff background checks “with the goal of limiting the possibility of cases like this repeating themselves in the future.”
Speaking on Kan public radio, Gal Wolf, the attorney representing Goren, suggested his client had intended to extract money from the Iranians without carrying out any spying.
UK outlaws Hamas as terrorist organization
19 Nov, 2021 14:06
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has acted to proscribe the Palestinian group Hamas “in its entirety,” stating that it has significant capacity to carry out terrorist acts and has facilities to train attackers.
In a tweet on Friday, Patel stated that she had banned the Palestinian group Hamas and designated it a terrorist organization, as she reiterated the British government’s commitment to “tackling extremism and terrorism wherever it occurs.”
Great, when are you going to tackle the terror of Pakistani men raping young British girls. That should be labelled as terrorism and treated as such.
“Hamas has significant terrorist capability, including access to extensive and sophisticated weaponry, as well as terrorist training facilities,” she wrote.
The home secretary’s tweet came during her visit to Washington and followed speculation on Friday morning that she was soon to outlaw the group.
Pre-empting Patel’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett welcomed Britain’s “intention” on Twitter.
“Hamas is a radical Islamic group that targets innocent Israelis & seeks Israel’s destruction. I welcome the UK’s intention to declare Hamas a terrorist organization in its entirety – because that’s exactly what it is,” Bennett wrote, thanking the leadership of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, also hailed the expected move against Hamas, saying it was “part of strengthening ties with Britain.”
Until now, only Hamas’ military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, had been outlawed by the British government. The EU and the US have already proscribed all of Hamas.
Hamas political official Sami Abu Zuhri rejected Britain’s move, claiming it showed “absolute bias toward the Israeli occupation and is a submission to Israeli blackmail and dictations.”
In a separate statement, the group claimed it had a right to resist occupation by all available means, “including armed resistance.”
Hamas seized total control of Gaza in 2007, on the back of an election victory in 2006.
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