UK Intelligence Agency Raises Threat Level to Lawmakers Following Killing of MP

The menace level to Members of Parliament (MPs) is present deemed “substantial,” the UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel said connected Wednesday.

Patel told MPs that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), a subdivision of the MI5, raised the menace level following an autarkic reappraisal conducted aft the sidesplitting of Sir David Amess.

The 69-year-old MP for Southend West was fatally stabbed connected Oct. 15 portion gathering section voters astatine Belfairs Methodist Church successful Leigh-on-Sea, marking the 2nd fatal onslaught connected a sitting British lawmaker successful their constituency successful the past 5 years.

Conservative MP David Amess with his pugs, Lily and Boat astatine the Westminster Dog of the Year contention astatine Victoria Tower Gardens successful London connected Oct. 10, 2013. (Geoff Caddick/PA via AP)

Patel said there’s presently nary accusation oregon quality that points to immoderate credible, specific, oregon imminent threat, but she urged MPs to take the “change successful hazard seriously.”

It was understood MPs volition present beryllium contacted implicit however their information arrangements whitethorn beryllium altered.

MPs are urged not to notation the details to the media oregon the public.

Patel assured MPs that the information and quality agencies and counter-terror constabulary volition guarantee the alteration is “properly reflected successful their operational posture,” and urged MPs to marque usage of the resources disposable to them to guarantee their information and the information of their unit and the public.

She said that the information of different elected representatives, specified arsenic councillors, volition besides beryllium reviewed.

Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives astatine Downing Street, London, connected Sept. 15, 2021. (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Speaking connected Parliament connected Thursday, House of Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said MPs privation “very wide advice” connected their safety.

“I deliberation proposal bordering connected acquisition is what we are looking for due to the fact that determination are galore forms of information disposable to members but they don’t needfully each cognize what they are,” helium said.

The Commons person besides said MPs would similar to cognize “what the existent level of hazard is.”

“I don’t consciousness that that is yet clear, and that whitethorn instrumentality immoderate clip to go clear, but it needs to beryllium communicated to members with each the enactment that is besides available,” helium said.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Jukes said connected Thursday that the Met would proceed to enactment with the Parliament information team, the Home Office, and idiosyncratic MPs astir their information arrangements.

Also connected Thursday, 25-year-old Ali Harbi Ali was charged with murder and mentation of violent acts successful narration to the decease of Amess.

Ali appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, but only spoke to corroborate his name, address, and day of commencement during the abbreviated hearing.

Prosecutors allege Ali was affiliated with the ISIS violent radical and targeted Amess implicit the MP’s voting grounds successful enactment of airstrikes connected Syria.

The tribunal besides heard that helium allegedly settled connected a crippled to termination an MP 2 years ago, focusing connected 2 MPs different than Amess.

He is said to person carried retired reconnaissance astatine 1 of their homes, the country of another, and the Houses of Parliament.

PA contributed to this report.