The head of British domestic intelligence warned that the United Kingdom is facing an evolving threat landscape characterized by a rise in state-sponsored aggression and terrorism, including increasing concerns over the misuse of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, highlighted recent incidents suggesting heightened risks to UK military sites. On September 27, three individuals were detained near RAF Fairford, a US air force base in Gloucestershire, after crossing the perimeter in white vans shortly after midnight. No explosives were found, and the suspects were released on police bail the following day. McCallum indicated that Fairford was not the only potential target within the UK but declined to specify other locations or threat details. Allied sources noted that recent activity at RAF Molesworth, a US-NATO intelligence base in Cambridgeshire, involving two Latvians found on site, is not believed to be connected to Iran-related threats. Despite Tehran’s ambitions to conduct operations on UK soil, its ability remains limited, typically relying on third-party criminal groups to execute actions abroad.
Following the Fairford incident, the US withdrew 12 B-1 bombers stationed at the base, which had been used in earlier strikes against Iran. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting is scheduled to discuss base security with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, at the Pentagon.
McCallum also outlined a broader set of threats linked to Iranian activities within the UK, including over 50 arrests made in the past year in connection to plots targeting British Jewish communities. These plots have involved terrorist schemes and arson attacks against synagogues, businesses, and emergency vehicles.
In a significant departure from traditional concerns, McCallum underscored the emerging threat posed by AI technology. Citing warnings from Anthropic, a leading AI company, he noted the potential for hostile actors to exploit AI in developing biological weapons and chemical agents if current safeguards fail. Liam Booth-Smith, Anthropic’s head of Europe policy, spoke before a parliamentary committee about risks that AI could accelerate the creation of dangerous biological and chemical weaponry without adequate controls.
Beyond bioweapons, McCallum warned that AI could enhance cyberattacks and terrorist planning, facilitate the use of AI-enabled drones, and enable the rapid generation of tailored propaganda to radicalize individuals. In response, MI5 intends to establish a dedicated AI threat assessment center to evaluate these risks, coordinate government expertise, and help the public discern genuine threats from exaggeration.
On broader geopolitical challenges, McCallum reaffirmed Russia’s status as the UK’s primary hostile actor. He cited ongoing Russian operations involving assassination plots, explosive threats, and cyberattacks reaching the threshold of conventional warfare. Although Moscow attempted to influence the 2016 Brexit referendum through state-controlled media and social media trolls, McCallum qualified that the impact fell short of the Kremlin’s intentions.
Regarding China, the intelligence chief described the relationship as “multifaceted,” with a focus on Beijing’s extensive efforts to steal academic research, intellectual property, and political secrets relevant to its strategic interests.
Overall, McCallum emphasized that threats from hostile states have quadrupled over the last decade and now represent a security challenge on par with terrorism. He characterized this shift as the onset of a “new era of national security” for the United Kingdom.