MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that right-wing extremists are increasingly moving from radicalised sentiment to active terror plots targeting immigrants and Muslims. Speaking on October 13, the security head also announced a new Artificial Intelligence Threat Assessment Centre to counter state and terrorist cyber risks.
Extremists holding anti-migrant opinions are showing a growing inclination to plan terrorist attacks against immigration centres and asylum hotels across the UK. Sir Ken noted that racially and religiously motivated offences are running at record levels. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced an independent review of the UK’s protective security system on Monday, October 12.
Sir Ken McCallum Details Right-Wing Infiltration of Children as Young as 13
He revealed that earlier in the year, the Security Service investigated a radicalised extreme right-wing 13-year-old inside the UK. Offering guidance to parents concerned about teenagers navigating dangerous online spaces, he suggested speaking with a teacher, healthcare professional, or a trusted community member.
Believe me, we wish we didn’t have to. But that investigation generated insight that enabled one of our international partners to prevent a lethal attack on their soil.
Sir Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5
The MI5 chief also referenced the case of a 16-year-old from Inverclyde who received a 10-year prison sentence a year ago after pleading guilty to plotting mass murder by firebombing a Muslim centre in Greenock. Official figures show that 39 people aged 17 and under were arrested in connection with counter-terrorism investigations in 2025, following 40 such arrests the previous year. Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor KPM previously noted that children as young as 10 are being referred to the Prevent program amid a surge in referrals, with investigative caseload figures showing that one in five terrorism arrests last year involved children under 17, compared to one in twenty a decade prior.
Launching AITAC to Counter Artificial Intelligence Security Threats
Alongside the rising domestic terror threat, MI5 announced the creation of a new AI Threat Assessment Centre, known as AITAC, which will be housed within the agency to evaluate national security risks posed by artificial intelligence. Sir Ken observed that while the benefits of AI are real, the national security threats are equally significant.
Sir Ken warned that intelligence services have intercepted terrorists attempting to exploit AI for improved reconnaissance, attack planning, and AI-enabled drones. This follows warnings from the company Anthropic regarding actors using their Claude models in ways that could support biological weapons development, alongside British AI minister Kanishka Narayan warning earlier in the week that cyber defence breaches are likely if not inevitable.
Hostile State Activities and Iranian Ambitions Against UK Military Sites
The annual threat update also addressed aggressive activities from hostile states, with Iran attempting to expand operations against harder targets such as military installations. Sir Ken indicated that the late September incident involving five men from London who drove in three white vans to Whelford—a village next to a base used by the US air force—shortly after midnight on 27 September was part of a broader pattern. The five men were released on police bail a day later after no bombs or explosives were found.
A week after the Fairford incident, the US withdrew 12 B-1 bombers from the RAF base, which had been used to attack Iran in the spring and early summer. Counter-Iran operations by MI5 have resulted in more than 50 arrests over the past year. Authorities report that Tehran’s operations have frequently targeted British Jewish communities, including arson attacks and terrorist plots directed at synagogues, businesses, and ambulances. Furthermore, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre maintains the UK terrorism threat level at severe, indicating an attack is highly likely, while the Director General warned that the nation has entered a new era of national security facing seismic shocks comparable to 9/11.
