Government working tirelessly to ensure safety of UK Jews says minister after Iranian arrests
Jewish News understands there have been security fears recently for Iranian dissidents in this country who have expressed opposition to the regime in Tehran and support for Israel
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Home Office minister Dan Jarvis has given a “categorical assurance” that the government will work “tirelessly”with the Community Security Trust and other communal organisations to ensure the safety of Britain’s Jews.
Jarvis made the pledge after giving an update in the Commons on the arrests of eight men, including seven Iranian nationals, last weekend in what he said was “some of the largest counter-state threats and counter-terrorism actions that we have seen in recent times”.
Jewish News now understands that reports that counter-terrorism cops swooped only hours before five of the men were hours away from carrying out an attack on a synagogue are speculation.
But security sources have suggested that Iranian dissidents who have voiced opposition to the regime in Tehran in this country, and who have also expressed their support for Israel, have been the target of threats in this country in recent months.
It was confirmed that the Iranian ambassador to the UK will now be summoned in London after counter-terrorism police swooped in multiple locations last weekend. Eight men including seven Iranians arrested in UK in dual counter-terror operations
In a statement to MPs Jarvis said he could not disclose which site was allegedly being targeted in the latest plot, but he added: “Police officers have been in contact with the affected site to make them aware and provide relevant security advice and support.”
Labour MP John Slinger raised concerns about reports of “hostile acts by an Iranian national in this country” which he said had left the Jewish community in Britain with “reason to be fearful.”
He urged Jarvis to provide an update to the Commons on the steps the Government is taking to guarantee the safety of Jewish people throughout the UK.
Jarvis responded:”I give my categorical assurance that this Government will work incredibly closely with the Jewish community, as did the previous Government, to provide them with the assurances that they rightly want and deserve.
“It is completely unacceptable that any sector of our community could be threatened, whether by terrorism or by a state-based threat.
“The Home Secretary and I, and other Ministers, are in regular contact with the Community Security Trust and a range of other organisations from the Jewish community, and we work tirelessly to ensure that they not only are safe but feel safe.”
He confirmed that searches are continuing at a number of addresses after five men were arrested on Saturday over an alleged terror plot in the UK.
Jarvis said hundreds of officers were carrying out forensic investigations and collecting evidence at different sites across the country during a Commons statement on Tuesday.
He told MPs: “What now follows is an incredibly complex set of investigations involving hundreds more officers carrying out forensic searches, collecting vital evidence across different sites across the country, and securing witness statements backed up by the continued efforts of our security and intelligence agencies.
“This is careful, painstaking work.”
Three arrests were carried out in north-west, and west London, while others took place in Swindon, Rochdale, Stockport and Manchester.
All three are from London and were arrested under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023, which authorises police to detain those suspected of “foreign power threat activity”.
Jarvis told the Commons the trio are the first Iranians to be held under the 2023 law, and said carrying out both sets of raids on one day required “intensive” planning.
Police continue to question four of the men, while a fifth has been released on strict bail conditions.
Jarvis confirmed the Iranian ambassador would be ordered to meet with Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer to “discuss these matters.”
Jarvis added:”Let me be clear: anyone in the UK who works for the Iranian state must declare it or they will be committing a serious criminal offence.
“We will also go after the criminal networks and enablers that Iran uses to carry out its work. Last month, the Government sanctioned the Foxtrot network—a network involved in violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.
“Training and guidance on state threats activity is now being offered by Counter Terrorism Policing to all 45 territorial police forces across the UK.”
Jarvis also told MPs that the independent reviewer of terrorism and state threats legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, has completed a report looking at “a state threats proscription tool, so we are not held back by limitations in applying counter-terrorism legislation to state threats. ”
“Jonathan Hall has now completed his review and will publish it shortly, and the Government will not hesitate to take action in response to Mr Hall’s advice,” added Jarvis.
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