Public urged to ‘stay alert’ as UK terror reports double after Hamas attack on Israel

The public has been urged to “stay alert” after reports to the UK’s counter-terrorism hotline have more than doubled since Hamas launched its attack on Israel.

Counter-terror police have received 1,350 reports between 7 and 25 October, since Hamas killed an estimated 1,400 Israelis in a coordinated terror attack which contributed to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

That is more than twice the number of reports to the UK’s hotline during the same period last year, amid fears overseas events can inspire violence at home.

The number of reports with information useful to investigators went up by nearly four times to 200, police said.

Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor warned: “Sadly, history tells us that events overseas can inspire or accelerate acts of violence much closer to home. We are working day and night with our partners to monitor the threat picture.

“We’re acutely aware of the energising effect the conflict could have on those with extremist or terrorist intent.

“With that in mind, our counter-terrorism units across the country are reviewing their casework and checking that operational police activity is as effective as it can be to keep people safe.”

DAC Taylor said reports from members of the public are critical to keeping the country safe, adding: “As the increase in the number of reports to Counter Terrorism Policing in the last month shows, there is a real willingness from our communities to tell us about their concerns.

“To those who have contacted police, thank you, your information can have a huge impact on what we do.”

The national counter-terrorism squad which monitors material online has also seen a rise in referrals, with nearly 2,000 reports made by the public since 7 October.

Of these, more than 350 have been found to require further investigation to see if the content breaks terrorism laws.

The increase in terror reports comes after antisemitic attacks in London soared by 1,353 per cent as a result of the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the Met. Islamophobic hate crime also leapt up by 140 per cent in the first few weeks of October.

Last week, Rishi Sunak chaired an emergency Cobra meeting at No 10 amid fears that the conflict could have increased the terror threat in Britain.

It came after Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned that terrorism is being “accelerated” by events in the Middle East – as he raised concerns about “state threats from Iran”.

However, the UK’s terror threat level has remained at “substantial”, which means an attack is likely, since February last year.

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden was expected to lead a further Cobra meeting on Tuesday to consider the domestic impact of the hostilities in the Middle East and issues around “community cohesion”.

On Thursday, the police urged the public to remain vigilant with Christmas and New Year festivities feared to be an “attractive target” for attackers.

DAC Taylor added: “The coming months are filled with brilliant events and activities, where people will be coming together to enjoy the festive season. Sadly, we have seen before that terrorists can view these as attractive targets.

“Whilst we are working incredibly hard, with our partners, to make sure you can enjoy this time of year safely – our message is simple, stay alert and trust your instincts.

“Whether you’re a business, an event organiser, a local authority or simply heading out with family and friends, if you see something that doesn’t feel right, please report it. You won’t be wasting our time and you could save lives.”

So far three people have been arrested by the Met for terrorism offences following the conflict. Two were seen with images of paragliders at a pro-Palestine protest, while a third was suspected of supporting Hamas online.

Heba Alhayey, 29, and Pauline Ankunda, 26, were arrested following protests in London on 14 October after images of paragliders gave “reasonable suspicion that they are supporters of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas”, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Police, including counter-terror units, have been using facial recognition technology to target any protesters showing support for terrorist groups at weekly pro-Palestine protests since the conflict broke out.

It comes as the Met is facing growing political pressure to ban a march planned for Armistice Day and has urged organisers to postpone over fears it could spark violence from breakaway groups.

Reports of suspicious activity related to terrorism can be made online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321.