Terrorism Threat Level Raised to Severe After London Stabbing

The United Kingdom has raised its national terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe” following a stabbing in north London that police are treating as a terrorist incident.

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Officials said the change reflects both the attack in Golders Green and a wider increase in extremist threats, including Islamist and far-right activity.

Under the UK’s threat system, a “severe” rating means a terrorist attack is considered highly likely.

Stabbing in Golders Green Investigated as Terrorism

Two Jewish men were stabbed on Wednesday in Golders Green in north London. The incident is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police as a suspected terrorist attack.

Police arrested a 45-year-old man, Essa Suleiman, on suspicion of attempting to murder Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76. He remains in custody.

The Metropolitan Police said the suspect had previously been referred to the government’s Prevent programme in 2020, which forms part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, but the case was closed later that year.

Officers are also investigating whether he may have been linked to a separate incident in south-east London on Tuesday.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who heads counter-terrorism policing, said authorities had been seeing a gradual rise in threats across several ideological movements.

He said investigators were handling a growing number of cases and noted an elevated threat to Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the UK.

Government Response and Community Concerns

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the increase in the threat level would cause concern for many people, particularly within the Jewish community.

She said the government would continue efforts to combat antisemitism and urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said people should stay alert but not alarmed, adding that police and intelligence services were working continuously to keep the public safe.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said additional police officers, including armed patrols, would be deployed across the capital to reassure residents and visitors.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Golders Green on Thursday to meet Jewish volunteer organisations and emergency responders. The visit was marked by protests, with some demonstrators shouting at the prime minister during the trip.

Starmer said he understood the anxiety felt by many members of the Jewish community following the attack.

Recent Incidents Targeting Jewish Community

The stabbings are the latest in a series of incidents involving Jewish institutions and communities in the UK.

In October last year, two Jewish people were killed and three others seriously injured in a car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester. One of the attackers was shot dead by police.

Earlier this year, four ambulances belonging to the Jewish emergency charity Hatzola were set on fire in a synagogue car park in Golders Green.

In recent weeks, the Finchley Reform Synagogue was attacked and a bottle containing an accelerant was thrown through a window at the Kenton United Synagogue.

Police say some previous incidents have been linked to groups with connections to foreign regimes, although investigators have not made any such link to Wednesday’s attack.

UK Terror Threat Level System

The decision to raise the threat level was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which independently assesses the risk of terrorism in the UK.

Britain operates a five-level threat system:

• Critical – an attack is highly likely in the near future

• Severe – an attack is highly likely

• Substantial – an attack is likely

• Moderate – an attack is possible but not likely

• Low – an attack is highly unlikely

The UK last moved to a “severe” threat level in November 2021 after a bomb exploded outside Liverpool Women's Hospital and the killing of MP David Amess. The level was lowered to “substantial” in February 2022.

The government has also announced £25m in additional funding for policing and security measures around synagogues, schools and community centres.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 1 May 2026