The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has raised the UK’s national terror threat level from “substantial” to “severe.”
The decision follows a knife attack in the Golders Green area of northwest London on 29 April, which police have officially classified as a terrorist incident. The attacker, armed with a knife, injured two Jewish men — 34-year-old Shloyme Rand and 76-year-old Moshe Shaine. Both victims are in stable condition.
A “severe” threat level means that a terrorist attack in the UK is now considered highly likely within the next six months. Authorities stress that the upgrade is linked not only to the Golders Green incident, but also to a broader rise in threats from Islamist terrorism and far-right extremism, as well as a series of antisemitic incidents in recent weeks.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as “a horrifying antisemitic” act and condemned the violence against the Jewish community. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged citizens to “be vigilant but not alarmed.”
The suspect — a 45-year-old British man of Somali origin — was detained at the scene. He resisted arrest and attempted to attack officers and was subsequently subdued with a Taser.
Golders Green is one of London’s largest Jewish neighbourhoods. The attack is seen as part of a deeply troubling wave of antisemitic incidents across the UK. Police and security services have called on the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity immediately. This is the first time the threat level has been raised to “severe” since 2021.