Amidst heightened concerns over the resurgence of the Islamic State following the devastating Moscow terror attack, Jeremy Hunt has a warning for the UK and European nations. Here’s the full story.
Frank Warning
Following the devastating terror attack in Moscow, widely attributed to the Islamic State (IS), concerns over the group’s apparent resurgence have prompted a frank warning from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
Spectre of Global Terrorism
With Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) claiming responsibility for the massacre that claimed the lives of over 130 individuals at a Moscow concert hall, this most recent manifestation of the spectre of global terrorism has sent shockwaves across the international community.
Amplifying Concerns
US intelligence officials have corroborated IS-K’s claim, amplifying concerns regarding the group’s enduring capacity for large-scale violence.
“Absolutely”
On Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was asked whether UK citizens and other European countries should be concerned about the apparent resurgence of IS, and gave a frank response: “Absolutely.”
“We Are Very Lucky”
He continued, “We are very lucky in this country that we have incredibly impressive intelligence agencies who have been successful in stopping, in foiling, a lot of terrorist threats over recent years.”
“Utterly Indiscriminate”
He added, “But we have to remain vigilant – and, you know, if it is Islamic State, they are utterly indiscriminate in what they do; they are prepared to murder in the most horrific way.”
Elevated Threat Level
Amidst heightened apprehensions, questions arose regarding the potential elevation of the UK’s threat level.
Security Risks
While Hunt refrained from speculating on such matters, he acknowledges the meticulous deliberations of government entities tasked with assessing security risks.
“MI5, MI6, GCHQ”
Hunt stated, “I know that they will be looking at this kind of event, and then they’ll be looking at the intelligence that our own intelligence agencies, MI5 and MI6, GCHQ, are picking up.”
“Extraordinarily Successful”
He continued, “And, what I would say is that while we must remain vigilant, they have been extraordinarily successful in foiling a number of plots – a lot of things that never reached the public domain.”
“Substantial” Threat
The UK’s current threat level is “Substantial”, the third highest threat level available to the UK’s security services.
“Utterly Condemn It”
Annelise Dodds, the Labour Party chairwoman, echoed the Chancellor’s fears, stating, “Wherever terrorism rears its ugly head, we have to utterly condemn it and offer our condolences to all of those impacted.”
“Brought to Book”
She continued, “It’s really important that this is investigated properly and that those who genuinely were responsible are actually brought to book.”
Deflecting Attention
In the wake of the attack, Russian authorities have sought to deflect attention by accusing Ukraine of being involved – a claim which has been vehemently denied by Kyiv and which has been met with considerable scepticism by Hunt and the broader international community.
Putin Acknowledges IS Attack
According to Reuters, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged late on Monday that the Islamic State carried out the assaults.
“Attacks on Russia”
Despite admitting what he had failed to previously, that IS were responsible, he also stated that the massacre was part of “attacks on Russia by the Kyiv regime.”
“Who Ordered It”
Adding that the Kremlin did not know “who ordered it,” Putin declared the attack as an “act of intimidation” but said that he was only interested in finding out “who benefits from it.”
“Very Little Confidence”
Of Russia’s claims, Hunt stated, “I think we have very little confidence in anything the Russian government says. We know that they are creating a smokescreen of propaganda to defend an utterly evil invasion of Ukraine.”
“Pinch of Salt”
He also suggested citizens take “what the Russian government says with an enormous pinch of salt.”
Confirmed Involvement
US intelligence officials, along with those of other Western countries, have confirmed IS-K’s involvement in the terror attack.
Russian Media
Still, there has been little to no mention of this on Russian media channels, which strictly parrot the Kremlin’s talking points.
Sobering Reminder
Despite the attempts to muddy the waters by Putin, the Moscow terror attack serves as a sobering reminder of the persistent threat posed by extremist groups like IS-K.
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The post “Absolutely” – Hunt Urges UK to Be Concerned Over Isis Threat first appeared on Edge Media.
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