Change indicates that the carrying out of an attack on British territory went from “probable” to “highly probable”; measure comes after attack in London
The increased the level of terrorism threat in the country to the “serious” (or severe) level. The decision was taken on Thursday (April 30, 2026) and announced this Friday (May 1). In practice, the change indicates that carrying out an attack on British territory went from “likely” to “highly likely“, according to the official classification.
The decision was announced by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center two days after a reported knife attack in Golders Green, north London. A 45-year-old suspect was arrested after stabbing two men in an area with a large Jewish population. According to security forces, the attacker is a British citizen born in Somalia. He was indicted for the crime.
Authorities say the insecurity scenario is driven by an increase in threats linked to Islamic groups and right-wing extremism. “While Islamic terrorism remains the main threat to the UK, far-right terrorism has been on a steady upward trajectory“, says the statement”.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared the episode in Golders Green “deeply worrying“.The government also cited an elevated risk against Jewish institutions and people in the context of the conflict in the Middle East.
SAFETY GUIDELINES
The government recommends that the population remains alert in public places, schools, hospitals, churches, tourist attractions and transport hubs.
The United States Embassy in London also released guidance for foreigners in the country. Among the suggested measures are:
- Vary travel routes and times to reduce predictability;
- Maintain a low profile and pay attention to your surroundings;
- Report suspicious activity or threats on social media to local authorities.
Information about security risk levels was made available on the website of MI5, the British internal security service.
