Latest news with #KenMcCallum
Scottish Sun
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Iran poses ‘significant threat to Britain' with Tehran's spies targeting UK as a priority, report finds
Iranian intelligence services are 'willing and able' to try to assassinate targets in the UK, the report also found Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IRAN poses a significant threat to Britain with Tehran's spies targeting the UK as a priority, a new report has found. The Islamic Republic is capable of 'wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable' attacks on our country, according to the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A new report has found Iran poses a significant threat to Britain, with its spies targeting the UK as a priority Credit: EPA 3 Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum has said Iran will go after anyone they see to be 'problematic for the regime' Credit: PA 3 Iran is also reportedly attempting to recruit junior people who don't currently have access to privileged information in Government but might one day Credit: EPA Assassination attempts are mainly directed at dissidents living on UK soil with the Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum revealing that their operations are built around 'regime survival, dissidents and media organisations'. They will go after anyone they perceive as 'being problematic for the regime'. Potential targets listed in the report include Iranian dissidents, journalists, individuals convicted of terror offences in Iran, activists, former government employees, environmentalists, refugees, university students, and employees at international non-governmental organisations. British civil servants have had their personal email addresses targeted by Iranian cyber security attacks in an attempt to find out information about the UK government. Any calls made to and from Iran are believed to be intercepted by their security services to 'support espionage operations'. Sir Ken revealed that Iranians are attempting to recruit junior people who don't currently have access to privileged information in Government but might one day. He said: 'They are patient and up for trying to do … seeding type of operations where they cultivate people who might be a bit more naive, or early in their careers with a view to then becoming longer-term assets.' MI5 has also seen that Israeli or Jewish entities in the UK have been the target of potential attacks. Iranian intelligence services are 'willing and able' to try to assassinate targets in the UK, with at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts from the beginning of 2022 to August 2023. In May three alleged Iranian spies - two of which came to the UK on a small boat - were charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that "serious violence" could be inflicted on them. Iran claims it could assassinate Trump 'while he sunbathes at Mar-a-Lago' amid alert over terrorist sleeper cells in US Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are thought to have targeted people working at Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London. The 246-page report by the Intelligence and Security Committee stopped taking evidence back in August 2023 - so does not consider the October 7 attacks by Hamas or any more recent threats to the UK by Iranian state actors. It has also found that Iran's nuclear weapons programme would 'pose a threat to UK nationals in the region and to the UK mainland' if it was allowed to grow. As of August 2023, the committee said that Iran had not yet developed a nuclear weapons programme or taken a decision to produce one. In June of this year Donald Trump launched a blitz on Iran's nuclear sites when he sent a dozen bunker buster bombs to target the mountain-fortress Fordow. UN's top nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has since warned that Iran could start enriching uranium again within months. Tehran admitted that the US and joint Israeli operations caused 'excessive and serious damage'. Iran is said to want to build a 'deep alliance' with Vladimir Putin's Russia despite a 'legacy of distrust and suspicion'. 'IRAN POSES AN UNPREDICTABLE THREAT TO THE UK' The Chairman of the ISC, The Rt Hon. the Lord Beamish PC, said: "Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests. 'Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced with significant areas of asymmetric strength. 'It supplements this with its use of proxy groups - including criminal networks, militant and terrorist organisations, and private cyber actors - to provide it with a deniable means of attacking its adversaries with minimal risk of retaliation. 'As the Committee was told, Iran is there across the full spectrum of all the kinds of threats we have to be concerned with.' The report highlights that there has been a 'sharp increase' in the threat of physical attacks posed to dissidents and other opponents of the regime on UK soil. Iran has a 'willingness to use assassination as an instrument of state policy'. He added: 'We remain concerned that the Government's policy on Iran has suffered from a focus on crisis management and has been primarily driven by concerns over Iran's nuclear programme - to the exclusion of other issues. ''Fire-fighting' has prevented the Government from developing a real understanding of Iran, with a lack of Iran-specific expertise across Government. 'As with our previous Inquiries into China and Russia, governance structures are over-complicated - with the attendant risk of too much talking at the expense of action. The Government must move on: the national security threat from Iran requires a longer-term view, and resourcing must be consistent with that threat."
The Irish Sun
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Iran poses ‘significant threat to Britain' with Tehran's spies targeting UK as a priority, report finds
IRAN poses a significant threat to Britain with Tehran's spies targeting the UK as a priority, a new report has found. The Islamic Republic is capable of 'wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable' attacks on our country, according to the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee. Advertisement 3 A new report has found Iran poses a significant threat to Britain, with its spies targeting the UK as a priority Credit: EPA 3 Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum has said Iran will go after anyone they see to be 'problematic for the regime' Credit: PA 3 Iran is also reportedly attempting to recruit junior people who don't currently have access to privileged information in Government but might one day Credit: EPA Assassination attempts are mainly directed at dissidents living on UK soil with the Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum revealing that their operations are built around 'regime survival, dissidents and media organisations'. They will go after anyone they perceive as 'being problematic for the regime'. Potential targets listed in the report include Iranian dissidents, journalists, individuals convicted of terror offences in Iran, activists, former government employees, environmentalists, refugees, university students, and employees at international non-governmental organisations. British civil servants have had their personal email addresses targeted by Iranian cyber security attacks in an attempt to find out information about the UK government. Advertisement Read More on UK News Any calls made to and from Iran are believed to be intercepted by their security services to 'support espionage operations'. Sir Ken revealed that Iranians are attempting to recruit junior people who don't currently have access to privileged information in Government but might one day. He said: 'They are patient and up for trying to do … seeding type of operations where they cultivate people who might be a bit more naive, or early in their careers with a view to then becoming longer-term assets.' MI5 has also seen that Israeli or Jewish entities in the UK have been the target of potential attacks. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Iranian intelligence services are 'willing and able' to try to assassinate targets in the UK, with at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts from the beginning of 2022 to August 2023. In May three alleged Iranian spies - two of which came to the UK on a small boat - were charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that "serious violence" could be inflicted on them. Iran claims it could assassinate Trump 'while he sunbathes at Mar-a-Lago' amid alert over terrorist sleeper cells in US Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are thought to have targeted people working at Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London. The 246-page report by the Intelligence and Security Committee stopped taking evidence back in August 2023 - so does not consider the October 7 attacks by Hamas or any more recent threats to the UK by Iranian state actors. Advertisement It has also found that Iran's nuclear weapons programme would 'pose a threat to UK nationals in the region and to the UK mainland' if it was allowed to grow. As of August 2023, the committee said that Iran had not yet developed a nuclear weapons programme or taken a decision to produce one. In June of this year Donald Trump launched a blitz on Iran's nuclear sites when he sent a dozen bunker buster bombs to target the mountain-fortress Fordow. UN's top nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has since warned that Iran could start enriching uranium again within months. Advertisement Tehran admitted that the US and joint Israeli operations caused 'excessive and serious damage'. Iran is said to want to build a 'deep alliance' with Vladimir Putin's Russia despite a 'legacy of distrust and suspicion'. 'IRAN POSES AN UNPREDICTABLE THREAT TO THE UK' The Chairman of the ISC, The Rt Hon. the Lord Beamish PC, said: "Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests. 'Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced with significant areas of asymmetric strength. Advertisement 'It supplements this with its use of proxy groups - including criminal networks, militant and terrorist organisations, and private cyber actors - to provide it with a deniable means of attacking its adversaries with minimal risk of retaliation. 'As the Committee was told, Iran is there across the full spectrum of all the kinds of threats we have to be concerned with.' The report highlights that there has been a 'sharp increase' in the threat of physical attacks posed to dissidents and other opponents of the regime on UK soil. Iran has a 'willingness to use assassination as an instrument of state policy'. Advertisement He added: 'We remain concerned that the Government's policy on Iran has suffered from a focus on crisis management and has been primarily driven by concerns over Iran's nuclear programme - to the exclusion of other issues. ''Fire-fighting' has prevented the Government from developing a real understanding of Iran, with a lack of Iran-specific expertise across Government. 'As with our previous Inquiries into China and Russia, governance structures are over-complicated - with the attendant risk of too much talking at the expense of action. The Government must move on: the national security threat from Iran requires a longer-term view, and resourcing must be consistent with that threat." Advertisement
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Iran poses ‘significant threat to Britain' with Tehran's spies targeting UK as a priority, report finds
IRAN poses a significant threat to Britain with Tehran's spies targeting the UK as a priority, a new report has found. The Islamic Republic is capable of 'wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable' attacks on our country, according to the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee. 3 3 3 Assassination attempts are mainly directed at dissidents living on UK soil with the Director General of MI5 Sir Ken McCallum revealing that their operations are built around 'regime survival, dissidents and media organisations'. They will go after anyone they perceive as 'being problematic for the regime'. Potential targets listed in the report include Iranian dissidents, journalists, individuals convicted of terror offences in Iran, activists, former government employees, environmentalists, refugees, university students, and employees at international non-governmental organisations. British civil servants have had their personal email addresses targeted by Iranian cyber security attacks in an attempt to find out information about the UK government. Any calls made to and from Iran are believed to be intercepted by their security services to 'support espionage operations'. Sir Ken revealed that Iranians are attempting to recruit junior people who don't currently have access to privileged information in Government but might one day. He said: 'They are patient and up for trying to do … seeding type of operations where they cultivate people who might be a bit more naive, or early in their careers with a view to then becoming longer-term assets.' MI5 has also seen that Israeli or Jewish entities in the UK have been the target of potential attacks. Iranian intelligence services are 'willing and able' to try to assassinate targets in the UK, with at least 15 murder or kidnap attempts from the beginning of 2022 to August 2023. In May three alleged Iranian spies - two of which came to the UK on a small boat - were charged with targeting UK-based journalists so that "serious violence" could be inflicted on them. Iran claims it could assassinate Trump 'while he sunbathes at Mar-a-Lago' amid alert over terrorist sleeper cells in US Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are thought to have targeted people working at Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London. The 246-page report by the Intelligence and Security Committee stopped taking evidence back in August 2023 - so does not consider the October 7 attacks by Hamas or any more recent threats to the UK by Iranian state actors. It has also found that Iran's nuclear weapons programme would 'pose a threat to UK nationals in the region and to the UK mainland' if it was allowed to grow. As of August 2023, the committee said that Iran had not yet developed a nuclear weapons programme or taken a decision to produce one. In June of this year Donald Trump launched a blitz on Iran's nuclear sites when he sent a dozen bunker buster bombs to target the mountain-fortress Fordow. UN's top nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has since warned that Iran could start enriching uranium again within months. Tehran admitted that the US and joint Israeli operations caused 'excessive and serious damage'. Iran is said to want to build a 'deep alliance' with Vladimir Putin's Russia despite a 'legacy of distrust and suspicion'. 'IRAN POSES AN UNPREDICTABLE THREAT TO THE UK' The Chairman of the ISC, The Rt Hon. the Lord Beamish PC, said: "Iran poses a wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests. 'Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced with significant areas of asymmetric strength. 'It supplements this with its use of proxy groups - including criminal networks, militant and terrorist organisations, and private cyber actors - to provide it with a deniable means of attacking its adversaries with minimal risk of retaliation. 'As the Committee was told, Iran is there across the full spectrum of all the kinds of threats we have to be concerned with.' The report highlights that there has been a 'sharp increase' in the threat of physical attacks posed to dissidents and other opponents of the regime on UK soil. Iran has a 'willingness to use assassination as an instrument of state policy'. He added: 'We remain concerned that the Government's policy on Iran has suffered from a focus on crisis management and has been primarily driven by concerns over Iran's nuclear programme - to the exclusion of other issues. ''Fire-fighting' has prevented the Government from developing a real understanding of Iran, with a lack of Iran-specific expertise across Government. 'As with our previous Inquiries into China and Russia, governance structures are over-complicated - with the attendant risk of too much talking at the expense of action. The Government must move on: the national security threat from Iran requires a longer-term view, and resourcing must be consistent with that threat."
The Guardian
03-07-2025
- The Guardian
MI5 apologises after spy gave false evidence about neo-Nazi informant
MI5's chief has apologised after a court ruled that a senior spy gave 'false evidence' that was relied on in three court cases about a neo-Nazi informant who had used his status to threaten his girlfriend and tried to kill her with a machete. Although there was no 'deliberate attempt' to mislead, the high court held that MI5's subsequent explanations could not be relied on – and has asked a watchdog to examine if a contempt of court prosecution should be brought. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, offered a 'full and unreserved apology for the errors made in these proceedings' and said the domestic spy agency would work with the authorities to resolve the embarrassing case. It will now be for the investigatory powers commissioner to determine if there should be a prosecution for misleading the courts because MI5 had explained itself in a 'piecemeal and unsatisfactory way', the high court ruled. At the heart of the story is a neo-Nazi informant, a foreign national known only as X, whose behaviour was the subject of an investigation by the BBC. At one point he attacked his girlfriend, Beth (not her real name), with a machete – an episode she filmed on her mobile phone. Kate Ellis, of the Centre for Women's Justice, who represents Beth, said the court judgment amounted to a 'clear rejection' of the explanations that had been provided by MI5 reports and a 'very serious warning' to the agency to cooperate with any further investigations. She said it was important vindication for Beth 'to see that the courts have not accepted MI5's unsatisfactory explanations at face value and are taking these matters so seriously'. Although one MI5 officer, its communications director, had told the BBC that X was a confidential source in 2020, another senior officer, Witness A, had given evidence that was relied on in three separate cases that declined to confirm the fact, casting a degree of doubt on the BBC reporting. Three years ago, Suella Braverman, then attorney general, had applied to the courts for an injunction to prevent the BBC from identifying X. Witness A gave evidence in that case neither confirming or denying whether X was an informer for MI5 – the standard policy adopted by the British state. Afterwards, Beth's account of events was made public but X's identity was and remained secret. According to previous reports, he has left the UK. On Wednesday, the court described Witness A's statement as 'false evidence' and complained that it had been relied on in the injunction proceedings and in two subsequent cases relating to a human rights complaint brought by Beth against MI5. MI5 is deciding whether to take disciplinary action against some of its own staff after an internal investigation. The spy agency also commissioned an external review by Jonathan Jones KC into the affair, which was seen by the judges in the case. According to their judgment, Jones concluded that 'false evidence was given because of a series of mistakes, some systemic and some personal, but that there was no deliberate attempt by any MI5 staff member to mislead the court'. Richard Hermer, the attorney general, admitted Witness A's evidence was false in January and finally confirmed that X was an agent a few weeks ago, because of 'the exceptional circumstances of this case'. However, the high court had been invited to consider by Beth's legal team 'how did the attorney general and MI5 come to deploy false evidence before the court' and what action should be taken next. The three judges, Sue Carr, the lady chief justice of England and Wales, Dame Victoria Sharp, president of the king's bench division, and Mr Justice Chamberlain, said there should be a review of the government's use of its neither confirm nor deny policy (NCND) regarding the identity of informers or agents. 'The use of NCND in these proceedings, and its maintenance until the very last minute, raises wider concerns,' the judges said, and they invited parties to the case 'to file submissions' as to the appropriateness of the policy.
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
MI5 apologises after spy gave false evidence about neo-Nazi informant
MI5's chief has apologised after a court ruled that a senior spy gave 'false evidence' relied on in three court cases about a neo-Nazi informant who had used his status to threaten his girlfriend and tried to kill her with a machete. Although there was no 'deliberate attempt' to mislead, the high court held MI5's subsequent explanations could not be relied on – and has asked a tribunal to examine if a contempt of court prosecution should be brought. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, offered a 'full and unreserved apology for the errors made in these proceedings' and said that domestic spy agency would work with the authorities to resolve the embarrassing case. It will now be for the investigatory powers tribunal to determine if there should be a prosecution for misleading the courts because MI5 had explained itself in a 'piecemeal and unsatisfactory way', the high court ruled. At the heart of the story is a neo-Nazi informant, a foreign national known only as X, whose behaviour was the subject of an investigation by the BBC. At one point he attacked his girlfriend, Beth, with a machete, an episode she filmed on her mobile. Although one MI5 officer, its communications director, had told the BBC that X was a confidential source in 2020, another senior officer, Witness A, had given evidence that was relied on in three separate cases that declined to confirm the fact, casting a degree of doubt on the BBC reporting. Three years ago, Suella Braverman, then attorney general, had applied to the courts for an injunction to prevent the BBC from telling Beth's story. Witness A gave evidence in that case neither confirming or denying whether X was an informer for MI5 – the standard policy adopted by the British state. The Conservative government failed to suppress the story entirely, and Beth's account of events was made public, but X's identity was and remained secret. According to previous reports, he has left the UK. On Wednesday, the court described Witness A's statement as 'false evidence' and complained that it had been relied on both in the injunction proceedings and two subsequent cases relating to a human rights complaint brought by Beth against MI5. MI5 is deciding whether to take disciplinary action against some of its own staff after an internal investigation. The spy agency also commissioned an external review by Jonathan Jones KC into the affair, which was seen by the judges in the case. According to their judgment, Jones has concluded that 'false evidence was given because of a series of mistakes, some systemic and some personal, but that there was no deliberate attempt by any MI5 staff member to mislead the court'. Richard Hermer, the attorney general, admitted Witness A's evidence was false in January and finally confirmed that X was an agent a few weeks ago, because of 'the exceptional circumstances of this case'. However, the high court had been invited to consider by Beth's legal team 'how did the attorney general and MI5 come to deploy false evidence before the court' and what action should be taken next. The three judges, Sue Carr, the lady chief justice of England and Wales, Dame Victoria Sharp, president of the King's bench division, and Mr Justice Chamberlain said there should be a review of the government's use of its neither confirm nor deny policy (NCND) regarding the identity of informers or agents. 'The use of NCND in these proceedings, and its maintenance until the very last minute, raises wider concerns,' the judges said, and invited parties to the case 'to file submissions' as to the appropriateness of the policy.
