The United Kingdom is facing a "staggering increase" in the number of murder attempts backed by other states, announces the intelligence service MI5.
Russia and Iran often turn to criminals, "from international drug dealers to low-level thugs" to do the "dirty work", says Ken McCallum, general director at MI5.
The number of investigations into threats from states that MI5 has conducted has increased by 48 percent over the past year. Iran, Russia, and China have been the main perpetrators, says Ken McCallum on Tuesday.
Since January 2022, MI5 and the police have handled 20 potentially deadly Iran-backed plans in the United Kingdom, an increase from the 15 that the government announced in January.
