US embassy urges caution near schools, transport hubs and tourist sites as Britain faces growing security concerns….reports London Daily Newsdesk
The Embassy of the United States, London has issued a security alert advising American citizens in the United Kingdom to remain cautious after the British government raised the national threat level to “severe”.
According to Al Jazeera, the embassy advised citizens on Friday to remain “alert in public places” and avoid schools, churches, tourist locations and transportation hubs.
It also urged US nationals to vary their “travel routes and times” to reduce predictability and maintain a low profile.
Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5 said on Friday that the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre had raised the threat level from “substantial” to “severe”.
The second highest threat category indicates that an attack within the next six months is considered “highly likely”, MI5 said in a statement.
According to Al Jazeera, MI5 said “the UK has been experiencing a gradual increase in terrorist threats for some time”, adding that the change in threat level followed the stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area of London on Wednesday, “although it is not solely a result of that attack”.
MI5 said the increased danger had been “driven by a rise in both Islamist and Extreme Right Wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups in the UK”, adding that threats were particularly directed towards “Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions, in the context of the conflict in the Middle East”.
This is the second security notice issued by the US embassy in the UK in recent weeks.
Recently, the embassy issued another statement referring to attacks and threats “targeting Jewish and American institutions” and advised citizens to remain cautious.
Last week, the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London was targeted. Other incidents included an attack on the Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow.
A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after two bottles believed to contain petrol were thrown at a synagogue in north London, in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime.
According to the BBC, the incident targeted the Finchley Reform Synagogue in north London. The Metropolitan Police arrested a 47 year old woman and a 46 year old man in the Watford area following the attack.
Police said the suspects, who were wearing balaclavas, approached the synagogue at around 01:00 BST and threw a brick along with two bottles at the building. No injuries or damage were reported.
The incident comes weeks after four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity were destroyed in an arson attack. Counter terrorism police are involved in both investigations, the BBC reported.
Cantor Zoë Jacobs of Finchley Reform Synagogue described the synagogue as a “proud, progressive and welcoming space for all”.
“This is clearly an attempt to intimidate the British Jewish community,” she said, adding that the synagogue would continue working to build strong ties within the wider Barnet community and would not be deterred by such acts.
Labour MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman, described the attack as “shocking” and said it followed a series of disturbing incidents targeting the Jewish community in the area.
“British Jews must be free to go about their lives without fear,” she said.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was grateful for the police response and urged anyone with information to contact authorities.
The Community Security Trust said it was supporting the synagogue and working closely with police, while the Jewish Leadership Council said it was “horrified” by the incident.
The Holocaust Educational Trust warned the attempted attack reflected a broader rise in antisemitism that must be confronted urgently.
