Context

UK terrorist police investigations ‘quadruple’ with Iran behind 15 plots 'Close calls' saw would-be attackers picking targets and gathering weapons when officers intervened

(National-UAE) The number of investigations by UK counter-terrorism police into state threats has quadrupled in the past two years, with several “close calls,” a senior officer has said. Matt Jukes, head of counter-terrorism policing, described the workload as “unprecedented” and said it […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Islamic charity head: Jews and Muslims should be allies over Islamophobia day Asif Aziz is calling for the UK government to enshrine the UN's International Day to Combat Islamophobia on 15 March in statute

(Jewish News) The founder of a grant-making foundation sponsoring Muslim students through university has appealed to the Jewish community to help persuade the government to recognise the UN’s annual Day to Combat Islamophobia on 15 March. Asif Aziz, a businessman who established […]

Crime

Six men jailed for people-smuggling after joint operation by British and French police The French authorities were alerted about an illicit shipment which saw the launch of surveillance leading to 'one of many significant operational results over the last two to three years' and disruption to a number of organised gangs.

(Sky News) Six men have been convicted of people-smuggling and sent to prison following a joint operation between British and French police. The men were given sentences ranging from two to five years after a trial in the French city of Douai. […]

Government & Politics

Prevent review: Treat Hamas and Islamic State supporters the same, says Shawcross Counter-extremism reviewer says supporters of proscribed Palestinian movement should face full force of counter-terrorism powers

(Middle East Eye) Supporters of Hamas should be treated the same as supporters of the Islamic State group and subjected to the full force of the law, a contentious review of the UK government’s Prevent counter-extremism strategy has recommended. William Shawcross’s review, […]

Government & Politics

Government’s anti-terror programme failing to ‘understand and tackle antisemitism’ William Shawcross's long-[awaited] report into the Prevent programme includes references to cases that the author says show 'the prevalence of extreme antisemitism'

(Jewish News) The government’s anti-terror programme is not doing enough to “understand and tackle antisemitism,” a new report has concluded. The findings of former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross’s long-awaited report into the Prevent programme included claims by the author he was […]

Government & Politics

UK’s Prevent terror strategy review to address classifying extremists as victims Shawcross report expected to warn that treating potentially dangerous people as vulnerable presents serious security issues

(National-UAE) The classification of extremists as vulnerable people is a “mischaracterisation,” the author of a review of the UK’s Prevent strategy is expected to say. William Shawcross, author of the review, is understood to have taken issue with how the government’s counter-terrorism […]

Government & Politics

UK to ban Channel migrants from appealing deportation: report 'Unacceptable number of people' crossing the Channel puts 'unprecedented strain' on country's asylum system, Home Office spokesperson says

(Anadolu) The British government is aiming to stop “deportation appeals” for those who reach the UK via crossing the Channel in small boats, according to the Times newspaper. In a report on Friday, the British daily said the UK Home Office is […]

Interfaith

Islamic group sorry for branding synagogue a ‘place of non-believers’ Exclusive: Dawat-e-Islami, the movement buying Wembley United Synagogue, has 'apologised profusely' after distributing offensive fundraising flyers.

(Jewish News) The Islamic movement buying Wembley United Synagogue has “apologised profusely” after its fundraising flyers sought help to purchase “a place of worship of non-believers.” Dawat-e-Islami, a global Sunni Muslim group founded in Pakistan, caused a wave of upset across social […]

Health & Medicine

Man charged with terrorism offences after incident at Leeds St James’s Hospital maternity unit Mohammad Farooq has been charged with engaging in the preparation of an act of terrorism and with explosives and firearms offences following the incident at St James's Hospital.

(Sky News) A man has been charged under the Terrorism Act following an incident at a hospital’s maternity wing in Leeds. Mohammad Farooq, 27, of Roundhay, Leeds, was charged with engaging in the preparation of an act of terrorism and with explosives […]

Context

IRGC has ‘outreach center’ in historically Jewish district of London — report Director of Islamic Centre of England reportedly called anti-regime Iranians 'soldiers of Satan'

(i24) Iran’s notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has an outreach center in London, located in a historically Jewish district of the British capital, the Jewish Chronicle reported on Friday. Tory lawmaker Alicia Kearns urged Downing Street to shutter the Islamic Centre […]

Government & Politics

Far-right terrorism rise in UK ‘masks threat of Islamist extremism’ Security expert concerned risk is being misjudged and warns of possible ISIS resurgence

(National-UAE) Britain cannot afford to underestimate the threat Islamist terrorism continues to pose to its security, an expert has warned, amid growing emphasis on the rise of far-right ideology among prisoners. Dr Paul Stott, head of security and extremism at Policy Exchange, […]

News: North America

‘ISIS Beatle’ Alexanda Kotey disappears from US prison system records Less than a year after being handed a life sentence, 'ISIS Beatle' Alexanda Kotey has disappeared from federal prison records

(Fox) The notorious terrorist and member of the ISIS cell dubbed “The Beatles,” who was serving a life sentence for the kidnap, torture and murder of western journalists and aid workers in Syria, has disappeared from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), […]