MI5 chief urges Britain to strengthen defences against evolving Islamic and state threats
Sir Ken McCallum said the UK must build new defences to counter both radical Islamic extremism and sophisticated state actors.
MI5 Director General Sir Ken McCallum said that the United Kingdom must develop stronger protective measures against a dual threat landscape. While the danger from radical Islamic extremism endures, the agency now also confronts strategic challenges posed by capable nation-states, which he described as "dragons" due to their extensive espionage and disruption abilities. He contrasted these with smaller, less-resourced extremist groups, calling them "snakes" that can still be backed by state sponsors.
Referencing former CIA director James Woolsey’s post-Cold-War analogy, McCallum argued that today’s security environment requires vigilance against both types of adversaries. He called for coordinated national effort to build the necessary defences.
Why it matters
The warning signals a shift in UK security policy to address both extremist and state-sponsored threats.
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