Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Terrorism: Lone actors make stopping attacks harder, say FBI and MI5 chiefs

Terrorism: Lone actors make stopping attacks harder, say FBI and MI5 chiefs

Finding intelligence to stop terrorism is getting harder because attackers are increasingly lone actors, the head of the FBI has told a meeting in London.

Christopher Wray said the US security services and MI5 are seeing more attacks carried out with crude weapons and little planning or training.

At the end of joint meetings with MI5, Mr Wray said it was vital for security services to share intelligence quickly.

MI5 head Ken McCallum said they faced a "very difficult cocktail of risks".

The FBI director said there are "very few dots out there", referring to intelligence on planned attacks, adding there was less time to connect those dots.

Working with MI5 in some cases was vital, he explained..

"If we're not super lashed-up, we're going to miss the only picture that's out there - and it's got to happen really fast," he said.

He said travel and technology had "blurred the lines between foreign and domestic threats" and that the encryption provided by technology companies was providing "an entirely unfettered space" for criminals and terrorists to operate.

Mr McCallum said around one in five terrorism investigations in Great Britain were linked to neo-Nazi, racist ideology or other related extremism - a rate that had remained roughly steady.

He said MI5 continued to see a growing role for juveniles and an obsessive interest in weaponry.

The two men said that co-operation allowed their agencies to cover a broader range of threats.

The FBI director said he had met British intelligence and security officials during his visit this week, which came as he marked 80 years of formal co-operation between the FBI and the UK.

On Friday afternoon his visit included looking at case studies of Russian and Chinese intelligence operatives moving around the globe.

FBI director Christopher Wray (right) visited his MI5 counterpart Ken McCallum as the agencies marked 80 years of co-operation


Mr McCallum said the expulsion of Russian diplomats after the Salisbury poisonings in 2018 and continued refusal of visas had prevented Moscow rebuilding its presence and had constrained the threat in the UK.

Cyber threats had also been high on the agenda for discussions, Mr Wray said.

On Wednesday, the two security chiefs made an unprecedented joint public appearance to warn of an "immense" threat from China.

They spoke to business and academic leaders inside MI5 headquarters at Thames House in central London.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×